Alan Shearer dismisses Jeremy Doku theory as Arsenal rage over Leandro Trossard red

Alan Shearer doesn't agree with the suggestion from some Arsenal fans that double-standards were applied by referee Michael Oliver in the Gunners' draw with Manchester City.

Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time for delaying the restart. Oliver had blown his whistle for a foul by Trossard on Bernardo Silva, and the Belgian was penalised for kicking the ball away.

It was the second time in three games that Arsenal have seen a player sent off for the offence. Declan Rice was penalised for the same thing in the draw against Brighton, serving a one-match domestic ban before returning to action at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal's issue appeared to relate to an earlier incident, where City winger Jeremy Doku kicked the ball downfield after the Gunners were awarded a free-kick. However, Shearer didn't agree the situations were comparable.

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Shearer was a pundit on Match of the Day 2, and was asked by host Mark Chapman about the Doku incident. "I think if you look at Michael Oliver, he's telling Doku where he wants the free-kick taken from and that's where he's [Doku] knocked it back," he replied.

"So no, I don't agree with that in saying that he's kicked that away. I think the referee's told him, or telling him where he wants it, and he's knocked it back there."

Arsenal led 2-1 when Trossard was sent off, and held out for more than 45 minutes with 10 men. They couldn't quite seal the deal, though, with John Stones forcing home an equaliser in the eighth minute of added time at the end of the second half.

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"It is very obvious, I don't need to talk about it," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports when the Doku incident was raised. "I think the red card is very clear, very obvious what people think.

"It is not my job to come here and judge what happened. My job is to survive in one of the most difficult environments there is in football for 55 minutes and try to get things done to survive.

"The rest is not my job, but it has already happened twice in five games which is very worrying to see in the best league the Premier League. "[The red card] makes the situation impossible. It is very, very hard to play with 11 players, with ten it is impossible. With ten you have to defend your six yard box time and time again."

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