Unai Emery reveals conversation with Guendouzi following red card

Arsenal boss Unai Emery discussed about the chat he had with Matteo Guendouzi following the midfielder’s red card against Blackpool yesterday.

Arsenal advanced to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup by defeating Blackpool 2-1. Goals from Stephan Lichtsteiner and Emile Smith-Rowe gave the Gunners a 2-0 lead before Blackpool pulled one back.

Arsenal were down to 10 men in the 56th minute when Matteo Guendouzi received a second yellow card for bringing down Blackpool midfielder Jordan Thompson.

Guendouzi will now miss Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Liverpool on Saturday.

Following the match, Emery praised Guendouzi’s performance. He said, “He’s playing well. He’s playing with a spirit. Competitive. The action is… it’s an action, he plays that action as a normal moment in the game.

He is pushing behind the player. He is playing with the spirit I want today and every match. We have spoken. It is very important to control but I don’t think he lost control. The red card is one circumstance.

About the 19-year old sitting out Saturday’s match against Liverpool, Emery said, “That is football. Things can be positive or negative like an injury, a red card, 90 minutes of hard work, that don’t allow you to play other matches.

A red card is like that. We have a lot of players looking to play to help us and take responsibility. His quality for the team, I am going to prepare with other players for the big match.”