Manchester City and Arsenal faced off in an intense battle, with the match ending in a dramatic 2-2 draw, sealed by a last-minute goal from City. Arsenal, however, endured a tough second half after being reduced to 10 men, making the result all the more hard-fought. While the scoreline tells one story, there were plenty of moments and incidents during the game that fans might have missed. Read also how the managers reacted to the game. A football injury expert has dropped a worrying verdict on the knee injury suffered by Manchester City star Rodri in his side's 2-2 draw against Arsenal. The Spaniard went down just 16 minutes into the match after a collision with Thomas Partey inside the area. He looked in significant pain and required treatment, before signalling to the bench that he could not continue. Rodri then limped off and was replaced by Mateo Kovacic, with the injury potentially being a seismic blow to City if serious. The way in which the Spaniard went down - and a subsequent replay of the incident - quickly concerned City fans over the extent of the influential midfielder's injury. Now, football injury analyst Physio Scout has given a detailed analysis on Twitter of what they believe Rodri's injury is - and it could be the worst possible news for City fans. They believe that the change in direction of the knee after contact with Partey means he has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his right knee. The tweet reads: "Via video analysis, we believe it's an ACL tear (+/- meniscus injury), as right knee shifts into knee valgus, direction change and a slight tibia bone shift. Scans will be necessary to confirm the injury. Best case here is that it's just a meniscus injury, but the injury did not look good. Hopefully, he avoids an ACL injury at all costs here." Twitter/@PhysioScout A meniscus (or knee cartilage) injury usually occurs from twisting, and while far less serious than an ACL tear, can still take around two months to fully recover from if the meniscus is torn. Speaking after the match, City manager Pep Guardiola said: "Rodri is strong. He leaves the pitch in this action because he felt something, otherwise Rodri stays there. It happened in the first minutes. These games with Arsenal are like that, and we have to handle it. We did it. We did really good things." Leandro Trossard red card: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta furious with referee Michael Oliver's decision vs Man City Mikel Arteta, speaking after Arsenal's 2-2 draw at Manchester City: "We were more efficient and went 2-1 up and then there were two incidents, very similar, one in particular, but had a very different outcome which then forces you to have a game which nobody wants to watch." Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was furious with referee Michael Oliver's decision to send Leandro Trossard off for kicking the ball away in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City - adding it is "really, really worrying" to see multiple red cards for these offences. The Gunners were heading into half-time with a 2-1 comeback lead at the Etihad Stadium when Trossard - already on a booking for a foul on Savinho - was shown a second yellow card for fouling Bernardo Silva, then kicking the ball away. Arsenal felt aggrieved not only due to the harshness of the punishment - but also due to the fact that City winger Jeremy Doku went unpunished for a similar incident earlier in the game. It was the second time Arsenal have been on the receiving end of this second yellow card offence, with Declan Rice sent off against Brighton on August 31 in a similar incident. Arteta said he was "amazed" after that Rice call - as, like Doku, Brighton forward Joao Pedro earlier went unpunished for kicking the ball away - and believes the game against City became a contest that "nobody wants to watch" after Trossard saw red. Trossard was sent off after picking up a second booking for kicking the ball away. "We were more efficient and went 2-1 up and then there were two incidents, very similar, one in particular, but had a very different outcome which then forces you to have a game which nobody wants to watch," said Arteta. "I think it's very clear. Very obvious. Hopefully what 100 per cent of what people thinks. It's not my job to come here and judge what happened. My job is to survive in the most difficult environment you can throw in football for 55 minutes. And try to get things done to survive. That's my job, the rest is not my job." Arteta was unhappy with the small amount of time between Oliver blowing his whistle for the foul and Trossard kicking the ball away, as he felt the Belgian did not have a chance to react to it. Referee Oliver was also a figure of controversy when Arsenal and City met for the first time last season, when the official failed to send off Mateo Kovacic at the Emirates Stadium despite two very rough challenges, including one when the Croatian was already booked. "Anyone that has played football or any sport [can see] it's less than a second. Less than a second. The previous one [Doku] is more than a second. That's it, simple," he said. The red card left Arsenal with an "impossible" task - according to Arteta - to keep out City at the Etihad Stadium with 10 players. John Stones eventually scored a stoppage-time equaliser after a half of valiant defending from the Gunners, and Arteta admitted pride in his team despite two more dropped points. "It's impossible," said Arteta about the challenge his team had in the second half. "It's very hard already against 11 players, impossible. Because we are put under pressure to defend with six in our box time and time and time after time. That's it." Erling Haaland was seen hurling the ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel following Manchester City's dramatic last-minute equaliser. Arsenal were on the verge of a major victory at the Etihad despite playing the second half with only ten men. However, substitute John Stones snatched a point in the eighth minute of stoppage time, making it 2-2. Haaland—who scored his 100th goal for Manchester City earlier—went largely unnoticed as he retrieved the ball from the net. Instead of taking it to the centre circle, Haaland threw the ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel, who had his back turned and his shirt pulled over his head in frustration. Whether the throw was intentional or not, tensions boiled over after the goal and continued past the final whistle, with both players visibly angry at each other.16' Rodri Injury
45+' Trossard Red Card
90+' Haaland vs Gabriel
The 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 28, at the famous Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. This iconic venue has been home to the ceremony since 2019. Stats: 26 goals, 11 assists Stats: 10 goals, 14 assists Stats: 35 goals, 8 assists The Ballon d'Or winner is decided through a voting process organized by the French magazine France Football. A panel of international journalists, representing various countries, casts votes for their top five players. The criteria for voting include: Each journalist ranks their top five players, with points awarded based on their ranking (6 points for 1st place, 4 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd, 2 for 4th, and 1 for 5th). The player with the highest overall points wins the prestigious award. The 2024 Ballon d'Or will consider performances across domestic leagues, international tournaments (like the UEFA Champions League and Euros), and other significant competitions like Copa America. Given the performances of the top contenders, Lautaro Martínez has a strong chance of winning the Ballon d'Or 2024. With 35 goals, winning the Serie A Golden Boot, leading Argentina to victory in the Copa America, and securing the Serie A title, his achievements on both individual and team levels make him a formidable candidate for the award. However, competition from Rodri and Vinícius Júnior remains fierce, especially with Rodri's key role in Manchester City's treble and Spain's Euro 2024 triumph.Top Ballon D'or 2024 Contenders
1. Vinícius Júnior
2. Rodri
3. Lautaro Martínez
How is the Ballon d'Or Winner Decided?
Prediction: Who Will Win the Ballon d'Or 2024?
Rank | Player | Weekly Salary (EUR) | Monthly Salary (EUR) | Annual Salary (EUR) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | €3.4M | €14.7M | €176.8M |
2 | Lionel Messi | €1.8M | €8.33M | €92.88M |
3 | Neymar | €1.65M | €7.17M | €86M |
4 | Karim Benzema | €1.58M | €6.83M | €82M |
5 | Sadio Mané | €650K | €2.82M | €33.8M |
6 | Riyad Mahrez | €580K | €2.51M | €30.16M |
7 | N’Golo Kanté | €500K | €2.17M | €26M |
8 | Frenkie de Jong | €500K | €2.17M | €26M |
9 | Harry Kane | €450K | €1.95M | €23.4M |
10 | Kevin De Bruyne | €400K | €1.73M | €20.8M |
The 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 28, at the famous Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. This iconic venue has been home to the ceremony since 2019. Vinicius is the leading candidate this year, thanks to his stellar performances for Real Madrid. He helped secure major titles like La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Supercopa de Espana. Despite some injuries and Brazil's exit in the Copa America quarter-finals, his 24 goals and 11 assists make him a favorite. Rodri had an extraordinary year, winning the Premier League with Manchester City and the Euro 2024 with Spain. His consistent defensive midfield play and Euro 2024 Best Player award put him among the top contenders. Bellingham's debut season at Real Madrid has been sensational, helping the club win La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. His impressive individual contributions, especially in the Champions League, place him firmly in the race for the award. While many football stars were expected to feature among the nominees, a few big names missed out. Here are some surprising snubs:Likely Top 3 Contenders
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
Shocking Snubs of the 2024 Ballon d'Or
Casemiro's wife, Anna Mariana, took to Instagram to defend her husband following intense criticism after Manchester United's loss to Liverpool. In a match where Casemiro struggled, making mistakes that led to two Liverpool goals, fans both in the stadium and on social media were quick to criticize the Brazilian midfielder, with some labeling him as "finished."
During the match, Erik ten Hag decided to replace Casemiro at halftime due to his poor performance.
However, Anna Mariana reminded critics of Casemiro's illustrious career, highlighting his three La Liga titles, five Champions League victories, and other major trophies, including recent successes with Manchester United.
Plenty have claimed that Casemiro is now “finished” as an elite performer, with some suggesting that a player who was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia during the summer transfer window should retire. Anna Mariana is, however, backing her husband.
"To win this award is something very special and it is one that I am very proud of and grateful for. To be recognised this way by your fellow professionals means everything and I would like to thank everyone who voted for me," Foden said.
"I also want to pay special thanks to Pep, the City coaches and all my teammates as they help me to try and get better every single day."
Foden has already set his sights on a fifth successive Premier League crown after City started their title defence with a 2-0 win at Chelsea on Sunday.
"Last season was another very special one for everyone at the Club but now all our focus is concentrated on trying to achieve more success this term," he said.
Palmer has revealed that it was the Players' Player of the Year award that he had saved on his phone as the wallpaper last year but the Young Player of the Year is a big step in the right direction.
"It is really special [to win the award] and I just want to say thank you to all of the players for recognising me," Palmer said.
"[The picture] was on my phone as a reminder every day of something to work towards so to win this award is nice.
I have never really done anything like that before but it is a special award and it was a reminder to keep going no matter what. It was something I wanted to win."
Despite missing out on the PFA Team of the Year, Palmer is more concerned about winning trophies with Chelsea:
"I want to win trophies with Chelsea, that is the main thing, and then the individual awards are nice.
Life is great, I can’t complain," he added. "The whole season was a great season personally and hopefully, we can kick on this season.
"Everyone is excited. The squad is full of young players, we have a great manager and great staff so hopefully, we can have a good season."
The PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the 2023/24 season features a blend of standout performers from Manchester City, Arsenal, and other top clubs.
Erling Haaland, Golden Boot winner, leads the list after scoring 27 goals and helping Manchester City secure a record-breaking fourth Premier League title. His teammate Rodri, who had his best goal-scoring season with eight league goals, also made the team. Phil Foden and Kyle Walker from City are included for their crucial roles in the club's successful campaign.
Arsenal, the league runners-up, have five players in the team, including David Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Ødegaard, and Declan Rice.
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk earns his fourth appearance in the team, while Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins is recognized for his 38 goal involvements.
This selection highlights the top performers in the Premier League for the season.
“After a few weeks of reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to end my national team career,” Gundogan wrote on social media.
“I look back with great pride on 82 international matches for my home country – a number that I could never have dreamed of when I made my debut for the senior national team in 2011.”
“My highlight was clearly the huge honour of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championship last summer,” he added
“I felt a certain tiredness in my body and also in my head, which got me thinking. And the games at club and national level are not going to get any less,”
“I will definitely continue to be a fan of this national team and very much hope that the upward trend can continue together – and then there is nothing to stop us from being one of the main title contenders at the 2026 World Cup.
We have a fantastic coach, a really strong team and a great team spirit.”
“I would like to thank the FFF and President Philippe Diallo for giving me this incredible opportunity,” said Henry in an FFF statement.
“Winning an Olympic silver medal for my country will remain one of the proudest moments of my life. I’m incredibly grateful to the federation, the players, the staff and the fans for giving me this magical experience.”