Steve Cooper will be ruing the fact his Leicester City side were unable to hold on for a point after Arsenal scored twice in second-half stoppage time to seal a 4-2 win.
It was a valiant effort from Leicester City after a week in which they received their fair share of criticism for draws against Everton and League Two Walsall.
Having gone 2-0 down in the first-half thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, Leicester fought back bravely to bring the score level by the 63rd-minute through two James Justin goals.
Steve Cooper watched his side defend for their lives as the game drew towards a close and a shock point at The Emirates but it was not to be as Wilfred Ndidi was so unfortunate to score a 94th-minute own goal before Kai Havertz made it 4-2 on 96 minutes.
Gary Lineker believes Leicester City should have been playing against a ten-man Arsenal
Arsenal and red cards have been one of the talking points in the early weeks of the new season.
Declan Rice was controversially given a second yellow card for delaying the restart against Brighton before Trossard received the same punishment for kicking the ball away against Manchester City last weekend.
Cooper expressed after the game that he felt Riccardo Calafiori should have been handed a second yellow for his foul on Facundo Buonanotte with the scores level in the second-half and the Match of the Day panel were in agreement with the Leicester boss.
- READ MORE: ‘Can’t believe that’… Steve Cooper baffled by refereeing decision in Arsenal v Leicester City
Speaking on the incident, famous Foxes fan Gary Lineker said: “Steve Cooper was not happy, he thought Calafiori should’ve had another yellow card, I find it difficult to disagree with him.”
Micah Richards added: “Yeah, well I thought last week, Trossard, I didn’t think it was a yellow card for kicking the ball away. Today, with Calafiori, I think that’s a second yellow card. I think he was lucky to stay on the pitch. Theo?”
Theo Walcott then concluded: “I’ve got to agree with you. I think he’s very lucky, it’s very cynical.”
Steve Cooper must take positives from Leicester City performance vs Arsenal
Cooper’s frustration is completely understandable and the fact it has been vindicated by the Match of the Day panel shows he is well within his rights to ask questions.
A point – or perhaps even more against ten men – could have really changed the narrative around Cooper after a week in which Leicester fans’ frustrations have boiled over.
- READ MORE: Steve Cooper target of ‘ridiculous scenes’ as Leicester City supporters grow tired vs Walsall
However, Cooper should take heart from what he saw from his side in a tough period away at title-contenders Arsenal.
To go 2-0 down anywhere in the Premier League and fight back to 2-2 is a difficult feat, yet alone at Arsenal.
Leicester must now take the positives into their next game at home to Bournemouth where they should now be more confident that they are capable of getting a first league win of the season.