Enzo Maresca takes swipe at Arsenal over Sunderland victory

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has taken a pointed swipe at Arsenal by claiming that Sunderland did not deserve to lose their recent encounter against the reigning Premier League champions, according to reporting from the Mirror.

The controversy stems from a fixture where Mikel Arteta’s men ultimately prevailed despite facing intense pressure. Maresca revealed he watched the match live and subsequently reviewed the footage over consecutive days, concluding that the opposition's strength warranted a different outcome. Discussing the match, Maresca stated:

"I watched the game live against Arsenal, then again the last two days. If you watch, you can realise how strong they are. I think personally that they didn’t deserve to lose that game."

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Enzo Maresca, Manchester City manager, via Mirror

Meanwhile, Arteta conceded that luck played a role in nullifying Sunderland's well-timed attacking waves, though he praised the opponent's tactical organisation. Arteta noted:

"There is an element of luck as well because Sunderland are so good at doing that, they throw in numbers, their timing is so good. But if you give them the space to play as well, they play - they are a really, really good side, and in any other moment we could've conceded. That's part of the game as well."

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, via Mirror

Furthermore, Arteta expressed heavy frustration with refereeing decisions during that fixture, describing the penalty awarded to Sunderland as unacceptable after a penalty incident involving Dan Ballard and Ezri Konsa, as reported by Football London.

Adding further spice to the fixture schedule, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has reignited past discussions regarding Arsenal's playing style ahead of Saturday 19 September 2026. Hurzeler stood by previous criticisms alleging tactical time-wasting during prior encounters, though he acknowledged that the Gunners ultimately proved to be deserved champions last term, as reported by the Mirror. Reflecting on past meetings, Hurzeler had previously remarked:

"If they win the Premier League, no one will ask how they win the Premier League. You can really feel that they do everything now to win and, in the end, it’s about the rules. So if the Premier League, if the referee, allows everything, then it’s difficult. Then, they make their own rules. At the moment, I have the feeling they are doing their own rules, no matter how they are playing. I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. Of course, every team will manage and waste time but there has to be a limit and the limit has to be set by the Premier League. The limit has to be set by the referees. At the moment, they just do what they want."

Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton manager, via Mirror

Revisiting these feelings ahead of the weekend, Hurzeler added:

"Last season was last season. Opinions are important and I will always share my opinion if I am asked. But I congratulated Arsenal for being deserved champions. It's a new season. They started very impressively. It is our challenge to compete with them."

Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton manager, via Mirror

Team / Figure	Key Subject / Match Context	Associated Outlet / Source
Manchester City / Enzo Maresca	Claimed Sunderland deserved points against Arsenal	Mirror
Arsenal / Mikel Arteta	Addressed refereeing decisions and squad fitness updates	Football London
Brighton / Fabian Hurzeler	Revisited previous tactical comments ahead of south coast trip	Mirror

Arsenal's preparations for their south coast clash have also been shaped by ongoing fitness checks across the defensive line. As detailed by Aol and Football London, players including Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Cristhian Mosquera, and Piero Hincapie faced late evaluations following recent knocks and workload management.