Defender owns up after disastrous show see Man City whip Arsenal
By People Daily, June 19, 2020Manchester, Thursday
David Luiz took full responsibility for Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City on the Premier League’s return.
The defender was subbed on in the first half after Pablo Mari picked up an injury and made a huge error that led to City’s opening goal minutes later.
His nightmare evening continued into the second half, as he brought down Riyad Mahrez inside the box to concede a penalty and was awarded a red card.
After the match, the Brazilian requested to give an interview with Sky Sports, despite not being asked to, where he owned up for his mistakes and said it ‘was not the team’s fault’ for the defeat.
‘It was not the team’s fault, it was my fault,’ Luiz admitted after the match at the Etihad Stadium.
The defender went on to explain that the contract negotiations have been playing on his mind.
‘I take the decision to play, I should take another decision in the last two months that I didn’t. Today the team did well, especially after we went down to 10 men, the coach is amazing, all the players did amazing, it was just my fault.
‘I should have taken a different decision in the last two months, and I didn’t, it was all about my contract, if I stay here or not.
I have 14 days more to be here and that’s it, today it was my fault,’ Luiz continued as he implied his contract talks affected his poor performance.
‘I should have taken a different decision to decide my future, to try to decide as early as possible, but I didn’t. I don’t want to use it as an excuse.
‘I love to be here, that is why I continue to train hard and I came here today, that is why I try to do everything, that’s why I said to all the players nobody huge me to speak, it’s me, I have to show my face and be here so I want to say, the coach knows, the coach wants me to stay, so it is just we are waiting for the decisions.’
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has backed his defender since he joined the Emirates during the current season.
The Spaniard explained that Luiz spoke in the changing room after the match and was ‘honest’ with his team-mates.
‘He spoke in the dressing room, David is someone that is very honest and straightforward,’ Arteta said.
‘My opinion on David doesn’t change, the moment I joined, what he has done for the team and for me, it won’t change because he had a difficult performance tonight.
‘For me it won’t change [the option to extend].
Whatever we are going to do before today’s game, we will keep it internally.’
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had a lot of admiration for the 33-year-old for owning up to his mistake, but was certain that the Gunners are not interested in keeping Luiz – whose contract runs out in two weeks.
Carragher told Sky Sports: ‘Obviously the club don’t want him to stay and don’t want him to give him a contract by the sound of it, and I totally get it, why would you?
‘By the sound of what he is saying, he wishes the decision made in the last two months was probably to say I am not playing.
‘Maybe in his situation he could have refused to play because of his contract situation and maybe saying he wished he had taken a different decision.’ -Dai