Fabian Hurzeler criticized Arsenal for their time-wasting tactics during their victory over Brighton and urged the Premier League to implement rules to curb such behavior.
Brighton fell to a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday, with Bukayo Saka‘s goal in the ninth minute being decisive for the Gunners, who now lead the table by seven points following Manchester City’s dropped points against Nottingham Forest.
After the match, Hurzeler was asked about a potential penalty for Brighton prior to halftime, but he chose to focus on the referee’s management of time-wasting by Arsenal players.
He specifically criticized goalkeeper David Raya, who went down with apparent injuries several times during the game, only to resume playing shortly after.
Regarding the penalty incident, Hurzeler commented: “We have to accept that decision. My main concern is that the referee manages the other situations better.
“Overall, the Premier League needs to establish a rule because what Arsenal did is not conducive to football. That was my main point to him.
“I think it was clear to everyone, and everyone can form their own opinion. I mentioned it before the game, and while we shouldn’t dwell on it too long, it’s better to focus on how we performed. I thought we did well tonight.”
When asked what needs to change, the Brighton manager suggested: “We need to see more yellow cards for time-wasting. Did you see a goalkeeper go down three times in one game?”
Pascal Gross shared his manager’s concerns, stating, “No further comments are needed about Arsenal. I’ve stated my opinion. I’m truly proud of our fans for their support.
“Everyone can draw their own conclusion, but I’m sure you wouldn’t enjoy watching games like that. I made my point, and I believe it’s a valid one. Football fans want to see a game, not time-wasting.”
David Raya on the ground multiple times with injuries (REUTERS)
This comes amidst ongoing discussion about the shift towards set-piece play in the Premier League, which Liverpool manager Arne Slot noted has made the English top tier “not enjoyable to watch.”
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta was in high spirits as his team moved closer to securing their first league title in 22 years.
“This was a very challenging match,” he said. “I anticipated it would be a significant test. The dedication displayed was outstanding.
“We had to make some adjustments, but the commitment from the players was incredible.”
Mikel Arteta was all smiles at full-time (Getty Images)
Match-winner Saka noted that he sensed results were favorable for Arsenal when he heard cheers from the away supporters at full-time.
“This is a significant victory for us,” he said. “We heard our fans celebrating unexpectedly.
“It’s a great feeling, but we focus on securing our result, and what happens elsewhere is out of our control.
“We know we are in a tight race, with both teams needing crucial wins tonight. We achieved that while they didn’t. We’ll enjoy this result, which is massive regardless of the outcome for City. We may not have played our best, but the results are what count.”