John Stones had some candid thoughts following Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal, highlighting the Gunners’ controversial time-wasting tactics during the intense Premier League clash.
Stones, who netted a dramatic equalizer deep into stoppage time, praised his teammates for rising above Arsenal’s attempts to slow the game down. After Leandro Trossard’s first-half red card, Arsenal was forced to play with ten men and, according to Stones, used every trick in the book to disrupt City’s momentum. Goalkeeper David Raya and the Arsenal defense milked the clock, with referee Michael Oliver showing leniency toward the stalling tactics.
Stones commented on Arsenal’s approach: “They’ve done it for a few years, and we know to expect that. You can call it clever, or dirty—whichever way you want to put it.” Despite Arsenal’s strategy, Stones emphasized City’s resilience in overcoming these disruptions, adding, “It was a difficult afternoon for both teams… we had to control our emotions during those times.”
With seven minutes of added time, City managed to salvage a point thanks to Stones’ 98th-minute equalizer, turning what seemed like a certain defeat into a dramatic draw that felt like a win for the reigning champions.
