Mikel Arteta's decision to take off Eberechi Eze against Manchester City is called out by our Seeing Red Arsenal podcast hosts
06:00, 21 Apr 2026Updated 07:33, 21 Apr 2026
Eberechi Eze was taken off against Man City to the surprise of many Arsenal commentators
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Eberechi Eze was taken off against Man City to the surprise of many Arsenal commentators(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester City was incredibly damaging to the Gunners’ title hopes. Many billed the game as something of a decider for the Premier League crown, but both the closeness of the result and the fact that the title remains in both teams’ hands leaves the race very open.
Both our Seeing Red podcast hosts, Tom Canton and John Cross, were in attendance at the Etihad Stadium to report on the match. They returned home in the early hours of Monday morning, but the dedicated pair they are, headed into the office for a lunchtime recording.
Among many of the themes discussed on the day, one of the key questions was why Eberechi Eze was taken off by Mikel Arteta during the game. Martin Odegaard also came into focus in the latest episode.
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“I found it baffling [Eze] was taken off,” Canton said. Cross replied: “Yeah, I get you. And basically, it's funny, isn't it? Because I immediately get besieged by a few pals who are largely praising of the performance. But one in particular, who I do really listen to, and immediately said, ‘What's Arteta doing taking off the most creative player?’
“Yeah, I mean, basically, unfortunately, he said that, you know, I agree with him in many regards, but that's back to sort of his normal mindset, risk-averse, don't lose rather than win.
“They were obviously chasing the game. I don't quite, I didn't get that. I didn't get that. No.”
Canton jumped it to point out: “And he hit the post with the shot, and it was a moment out of nothing. And that's what I mean is that if you look at the team right now, if there's one player that's going to create a moment of magic, as he did for Palace so many times last season, and against City in the FA Cup as well, who's going to create a moment that's going to lift the team, is going to get a goal out of nowhere? It's him. So why take him off?”
He added: “It was bizarre. And on Odegaard, a lot of fans, there seems to be a lot of conflict about Odegaard’s performance. There are some who don't think he was very good.
“I thought he was really good. As I say, he created two more chances than everybody else on the Arsenal team combined. I do think that there's a moment where Havertz has that one-on-one chance. I think he pushes him a bit too far [left].
“I think the pass needs to be a little bit looser, or take the shot on himself on the edge of the box. He doesn't do that.
“But Arsenal have missed that element for so long. Those incisive passes, that central creativity, those passes inside, obviously against City in the League Cup Final, they didn't have Eze or Odegaard. They couldn't break out the back.
“As soon as Arsenal got the ball in those defensive areas and City pushed up, Odegaard dropped in, took the ball, and they escaped out through that City press. They couldn't do that in the League Cup Final. They've missed him.
“There's no doubt in my mind that he should be doing more, and he should have had a better season than he's had. It's frustrating that he can't get fit, and when he's not fit, he's not playing. But they need him in that team.”
Watch the latest episode of Seeing Red on our YouTube channel and wherever you get your podcasts.
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