Loss to City, not Arsenal’s true performance ―Iwobi

 

Nigerian international Alex Iwobi believes Arsenal’s 1-3 loss to Manchester City last Sunday in the Premier League at Etihad Stadium was not a true reflection of his team’s performance in the game.

Iwobi, one of the players listed for Nigeria’s clash with Algeria this weekend in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Constantine, contributed to Arsenal’s only goal against the Citizens through Alex Lacazette.

He noted that the defeat also had some level of unfair officiating as City yet to lose this season in 11 games enjoyed a fluke goal.

“We were pushing to get the equaliser but unfortunately the referee wasn’t able to see that it {the goal by Gabriel Jesus} was offside. There’s nothing that you can do, we just have to move on to the next game,” Iwobi told www.arsenal.com.

He also defended the level of play by the Arsene Wenger side after a brilliant start at the Etihad but maintained that the Pep Guardiola men deserved victory after all.

“Maybe we weren’t composing ourselves like we were in the first 10 or 15 minutes. Man City are a very good team and you have to give credit to them, but I believe the result doesn’t show how well we did.

“We had an extra attacking player going forward but at the end of the day we set up very well to play against City and we were just unfortunate. Maybe if he {Alex Lacazette} had started on the wing it would have been different, but it is what it is,” Iwobi, who missed a chance in the first half when he fired an  half-chance over the bar added.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero {penalty}, put City ahead before Lacazette scored to make it 2-1, while Jesus added the third to shatter the hope of any comeback by the Gunners.