Sports
Breaking down every single Man City vs Arsenal dark arts moment
It was a meeting of the Premier League’s two best teams, a battle of tactical masters, a clash of technical brilliance and pure drama.
Manchester City versus Arsenal just five games into the season lived up to its billing in many of the conventional ways and served up a memorable ending.
Yet it also proved that no heavyweight contest cannot be enhanced by a bit of s***housing (or, to be more precise, a whole lot of s***housing).
There was plenty of time for it. The match lasted 109 minutes and 17 seconds, which surpassed the previous day’s 109-minute, eight-second epic between Aston Villa and Wolves as the longest game of the season so far.
And despite some valiant timewasting efforts (more of that later), the ball was in play for 63 minutes and 28 seconds overall — the fifth-longest total in a game so far this season — and 58.1 per cent of the available time, which compared favourably to the 56.8 per cent average for the season so far.
But with City having almost 88 per cent of possession in the second half, Arsenal’s 10 men had to employ every trick they knew to withstand the barrage.
So forget for a moment the nuances of formations and the analysis of sublime skill. Here is a breakdown of the dark arts.
“Set the tone early, lads.” “Yeah, maybe not quite like that.”
It took just three seconds from kick-off for Arsenal’s Kai Havertz to barge Rodri to the ground as City shifted the ball back to goalkeeper Ederson and Rodri tried to block Havertz’s route towards the City goal.
Medics were on the field and straight away there were players in the ear of referee Michael Oliver, who was probably already wondering why he’d agreed to miss a Sunday afternoon on the couch for this.
VAR checked this incident and, while it could have merited a foul on the pitch, it did not merit an intervention — which would only happen in the event of a red card incident.
“Our striker’s bigger than yours.” Havertz is hardly a slight figure, but you would not want to get in the way of Erling Haaland in full flight.
Well, William Saliba did on four minutes as, to use the old-school vernacular, the Norwegian “left a bit on” the Frenchman. The result, predictably, was Saliba being flattened, although he dusted himself down admirably quickly.
Like Havertz on Rodri, this was also checked by VAR.
Just when a game of football was threatening to break out, the games of shoving returned in the 16th minute when ‘take one’ of a Manchester City corner was aborted after Thomas Partey followed Havertz’s lead by clattering Rodri off the ball, this time with a knee to the upper part of the Spaniard’s leg.
It all happened while City’s Manuel Akanji and Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber engaged in a spot of Greco-Roman wrestling a few yards away. A rare moment of double-dark-arts — and one with serious consequences, as Rodri was forced off with an injury.
Six minutes later, it was Oliver’s effort to put a lid on things that raised the temperature to a new level.
After calling captains Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka together for a chat about controlling their team-mates, Oliver allowed Arsenal to take a quick free kick while Walker was still regaining his bearings. Gabriel Martinelli’s cross was cleared as far as Riccardo Calafiori and the Italian bent a shot into the top corner.
Needless to say, Walker was not happy. Neither was City manager Pep Guardiola, as his seat in the home dugout would confirm.
If Walker could claim the award for the afternoon’s most aggrieved man, he could add the one for the most hapless proponent of the dark arts.
His weird poking of Arsenal defender Gabriel as they awaited the delivery of a corner in first-half stoppage time might have been quite funny had the Brazilian defender not drifted easily away from the England man to leap and head home his side’s second goal at the far post.
Got him, got him, got him…
… yeah, lost him.
Not to be outdone, Leandro Trossard seemed to be out to prove he could be bad at s***housing too. Even deeper into first-half stoppage time, he was penalised for a foul but continued by booting the ball away. He would claim the whistle came too late to stop himself from acting on instinct.
Oliver disagreed and out came a yellow card. It was Trossard’s second of the half and a red immediately followed.
#MCIARS 45+7′
The referee issued a second yellow card to Leandro Trossard for delaying the restart.
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) September 22, 2024
There was a period of dark-arts calm at the start of the second half as Arsenal’s 10 men held on for grim life in the face of waves of City pressure, but 19 minutes after the restart, the war of tricks resumed as Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya went down requiring treatment.
It is possible the Spaniard was in genuine pain, but the ensuing stoppage allowed visiting manager Mikel Arteta time to conduct an impromptu team talk.
To add to the madness, Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly was booked for unsporting behaviour — he ran down the touchline and behind the goal. At the time, he was a substitute, having not played in the Premier League before — thereby collecting his first yellow before his first appearance. Lewis-Skelly made his Premier League debut later in the game.
And the delay was in keeping with the general approach of Arsenal, who took 42.7 seconds on average to restart the game after being awarded either a corner, goal kick, free kick or throw-in, the second highest of any team in any game this season.
By the 83rd minute, Arsenal were trying whatever they could to eat away precious seconds with Declan Rice booked for delaying a restart before, two minutes later, Martinelli went down in the centre of the pitch. He had limped on with cramp in less pivotal parts of the field.
And just to prove that anything Martinelli could do, Timber could do better, Arsenal then sent medics running on to the field to treat the Dutchman, despite goalkeeper Raya’s kick-for-touch failing to make it off the field, leaving Oliver having to bring play to a halt as City attempted to start an attack.
Timber was helped to his feet after initially going down in front of goal.
He limped away signalling to the sidelines for a substitute.
Having seen Timber fall again, a medic prepared to enter the field once Raya had hooked the ball out.
And, when Raya failed to find touch, the medic ran on anyway.
Martinelli was eventually replaced by countryman Gabriel Jesus, who proceeded to get involved in some skulduggery almost immediately by picking up a booking for blocking a corner from a yard while lying on the floor.
And then, in the aftermath of John Stones’ dramatic City equaliser eight minutes into stoppage time, City apparently could not resist the urge to turn the tables of chicanery. Guardiola and one of his coaches were booked for breaching regulations on behaviour in the technical area.
Haaland recovered the ball from the net and pinged it off the head of an unsuspecting Gabriel as the Arsenal defender hid his face in his shirt.
Just to ensure Gabriel was really angry, Haaland recreated Havertz’s earlier barge on Rodri when the game restarted. Both of Haaland’s incidents would have been checked by the VAR.
And Haaland continued the theatre after the final whistle in a seemingly needless and yet oddly entertaining clash with Arteta in which the Arsenal boss seemed as baffled as viewers to be told repeatedly to “stay humble”, which all went to show that there is no contest between two heavyweight teams that cannot be enhanced by a bit of random aggro.
“Stay humble” Haaland is wild for saying this to Arteta 😳 pic.twitter.com/XkU4oCg3Sr
— Football Hub (@FootbalIhub) September 23, 2024
(Top photo: Getty Images)
Sports
Bryce Harper hits for cycle, Kyle Schwarber blasts three homers in Phillies blowout win over Mets
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Phillies’ turnaround following the dismissal of manager Rob Thomson reached a new milestone when two of the franchise’s biggest stars delivered a historic performance.
Kyle Schwarber launched three home runs, including two in the third inning, while Bryce Harper completed the cycle to add yet another achievement to his accomplished career.
The offensive explosion powered Philadelphia to a 15-3 rout of the New York Mets on Saturday, as the Phillies continued their surge and received a signature performance from two of the game’s most recognizable stars.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber celebrates his home run with Bryce Harper during the third inning against the New York Mets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Chris Szagola/AP)
Schwarber’s first home run traveled 456 feet, while his second blast of the third inning measured 457 feet off Mets reliever Cionel Pérez.
He capped his night with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. Schwarber’s major league-leading home run total climbed to 28, and the performance marked the fifth three-homer game of his career.
Cristopher Sanchez allowed one earned run in six innings to lower his ERA to 1.80.
It’s his 23rd straight start at Citizens Bank Park in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer, the second-most such starts by a pitcher at the same ballpark in MLB history since 1913, trailing only Jacob deGrom’s 24 at Citi Field for the Mets from Sept. 9, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2022.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies leave the field after defeating the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 2026. (Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Schwarber is the 67th player in major league history and second this season with multiple home runs in an inning, joining Houston’s Yordan Alvarez on June 12.
Schwarber is the fourth Phillies player to hit two home runs in an inning, along with Trea Turner (Aug. 19, 2023), Von Hayes (June 11, 1985) and Andy Seminick (June 2, 1949).
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hits a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Harper hit a solo home run in the first inning, his 16th of the year. He doubled and singled in the third, then hit a two-run triple to the gap in left-center field in the fifth for his first career cycle and the 11th in Phillies history.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The Phillies and Mets will wrap up their three-game series Sunday night, with first pitch set for 7:20 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well into the second run of group play, with every team still eager to post wins and most looking to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific). Tuesday’s matches will conclude the first two games of group play for every team at the World Cup.
Sunday’s Group G matchups:
Belgium vs. Iran
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, right, is challenged by Egypt’s Ramy Rabia during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Alex Grimm / Getty Images)
Where: SoFi Stadium
Time: noon
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Iran twice rallied from deficits to draw with New Zealand in its first game, while Belgium, outplayed by Egypt in its opener, was lucky to escape with a point on an own goal early in the second half. Belgium’s aging golden generation of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel is going to need to do much better if they hope to avoid another early World Cup exit.
New Zealand vs. Egypt
New Zealand’s Callan Elliot, left, and Iran’s Mehdi Ghayedi battle for the ball during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Andre Penner / Associated Press)
Where: BC Place, Vancouver
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: One of these teams could make history since neither has ever won a World Cup game. New Zealand earned its first point in the World Cup since 2010 with a draw against Iran. The winner likely advances to the next round.
Sunday’s Group H matchups:
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, top, challenges for the ball during a draw with Cape Verde on June 15.
(Mattia Ozbot / Getty Images)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: 9 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Both teams opened the World Cup with surprising results. Second-ranked Spain was unable to score in a draw with No. 67 Cape Verde. Saudi Arabia was 10 minutes away from upsetting Uruguay, only to settle for a tie. Spain desperately needs a win to get its World Cup back on track, while another good performance from Saudi Arabia — unbeaten in its last three games — would have the Arabian Falcons in position to reach the knockout stage.
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha holds the nation’s flag after a draw with Spain on June 15.
(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: With all four teams playing to draws in their openers, the group is wide open. That creates a rare opportunity for tournament debutant Cape Verde, the second-smallest country to qualify for a World Cup. Vozinha, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, made seven saves to shut out Spain. If he can frustrate Uruguay the same way, Cape Verde could be through to the round of 32.
Monday’s Group J matchups:
Argentina vs. Austria
Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after scoring his third goal against Algeria at the World Cup on June 16.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Argentina opened its World Cup title defense with a 3-0 win over Algeria on a hat trick from Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, playing in his record sixth World Cup, is tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most career World Cup goals (16). Austria, meanwhile, would all but assure itself of a spot in the knockout round with a point.
Jordan vs. Algeria
Algeria’s Zineddine Belaïd kicks the ball during a World Cup loss to Argentina on June 16.
(Michael Steele / Getty Images)
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Little was expected of Jordan, making its first appearance in the World Cup. And it delivered little in a 3-1 loss to Austria. But Algeria, ranked 28th in the world, entered the tournament with high hopes and one of African soccer’s most potent attacks. However, it had only one shot on goal in its loss to Argentina and needs a big rebound to avoid an early trip home.
Monday’s Group I matches:
France vs. Iraq
France’s Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring against Senegal on June 16.
(Adam Hunger / Ap Photo/adam Hunger)
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 2 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Kylian Mbappé proved his fitness with a brace in France’s opening win over Senegal, giving him 14 World Cup goals, tied for fourth on the all-time list. He has a great chance to pad that total against an Iraq team that gave up four goals to Norway. Iraq still is looking for its first-ever World Cup point.
Norway vs. Senegal
Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Iraq on June 16.
(Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 5 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Norway, playing in its first World Cup this century, made up for lost time with a 4-1 win in its opener, getting two goals from Erling Haaland. Norway probably will move on to the next round no matter what happens, but a point would lock down a spot. Senegal and Sadio Mané, on the other hand, desperately need a win.
Tuesday’s Group K matchups:
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the field during a match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17.
(Molly Darlington / Getty Images)
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Cristiano Ronaldo entered this World Cup with visions of winning his first title. But he’ll go home early and empty-handed unless fifth-ranked Portugal improves on the listless performance it had in a draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uzbekistan, playing in its first World Cup, was not intimidated by the big stage, weathering a withering Colombia attack in a 3-1 loss. Expect it to bunker in again against Portugal.
Colombia vs. DR Congo
Yoane Wissa, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Democratic Republic of the Congo against Portugal on June 17.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
Where: Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s only other World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the country was known as Zaire; it lost all three games and didn’t score a goal. It’s already done better with Yoane Wissa’s score in first-half stoppage time giving the team a point against Portugal. A win here and it’s through to the knockout phase. The same is true of Colombia, which got a 65th-minute goal from Luis Díaz and another from substitute Jáminton Campaz deep in stoppage time to beat stubborn Uzbekistan.
Tuesday’s Group L matchups:
England vs. Ghana
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring against Croatia on June 17.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: England opened its World Cup with a surprisingly comfortable win over Croatia behind two goals from captain Harry Kane. But the Three Lions are only equal atop the table with Ghana, which got a goal deep in stoppage time from Caleb Yirenkyi to beat Panama. If there’s a winner here, it probably will decide the group. A point likely sends both teams through.
Panama vs. Croatia
Where: BMO Stadium, Toronto
Time: 4 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
Panama’s Ismael Díaz attempts a shot against Ghana on June 17.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The buzz: Croatia has played in two straight World Cup semifinals, but that streak is in jeopardy after a 4-2 loss to England. Panama outshot, outpassed and outpossessed Ghana in its first game but came away with nothing after conceding a goal in stoppage time, leaving the Central Americans still looking for their first World Cup win.
Sports
Jazz Chisholm explains why he still won’t wear a cup after fouling a pitch into his own groin
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Men around the country are still wincing from the sight of New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. fouling a pitch straight into his own groin.
It was bad enough that Chisholm had to leave the game, and it left many wondering why he wasn’t wearing a cup to protect himself.
Well, now we have an answer.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. took a brutal shot to the groin on Thursday night. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
Yankees beat writer Gary Philips shared some quotes from Chisholm explaining why he wasn’t a cup guy before taking a foul ball to the cojones, and why he isn’t going to be a cup guy moving forward.
WEEKS AFTER BULLFIGHTER SUFFERED PERFORATED RECTUM, ANOTHER WAS GORED IN GROIN AND REQUIRED EMERGENCY SURGERY
Chisholm said that the pain level was a “million,” and that, “If you ever got hit in the testicles, you would know.”
Most males reading this just nodded at that statement.
But Chisholm revealed that despite cups being mandatory in the minor leagues, he still skipped them and will continue to because he trusts his own defensive abilities.
“I’ve never worn a cup,” he said. “I’ve never been hit in the balls. That was just unlucky.”
Now, there are times when I wonder why men don’t wear cups all the time just for some peace of mind (I feel that way about helmets too). You wouldn’t regret not wearing a cup until the moment you’re at a cookout and a rogue volleyball puts you in shambles.
But I also like that Chisholm trusts himself to react and protect the boys. I’ve always said that a fairly significant part of a man’s life is devoted to protecting his lower anatomy.
You’re ever vigilant, trying to steer clear of anything that could leave you doubled over on the ground, and spouting off every expletive you know and several others you didn’t realize you knew.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. says he’ll rely on his defensive abilities instead of wearing a cup moving forward. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
Waist-high branches, table corners, projectiles, bicycle seats, even a pet jumping in your lap when you’re not ready.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Chisholm is self-aware enough to know where his self-preservation reflexes stand, and I respect that.
But if he takes another foul ball to the lower area of his body, he might want to start rethinking that stance on cups.
-
Wyoming4 minutes ago
How Investors May Respond To Black Hills (BKH) Customer‑Funded Wyoming Data Center Infrastructure Plan
-
Crypto11 minutes agoLatam Insights: Inside Argentina’s Tax Relief for Exchanges and El Salvador’s Growing Bitcoin Stack
-
Finance14 minutes agoSan Diego County finances teetering toward structural deficit, watchdog study finds
-
Fitness19 minutes agoAt 31, I’m the Strongest I’ve Ever Been—This Female-Focused Training Plan Is to Thank
-
Movie Reviews29 minutes ago‘Bob and David Climb Machu Picchu’ Tribeca 2026 Review: A Travelogue of Old Friends, Older Knees, and Same Absurd Timing
-
World41 minutes ago
In Taylor Swift’s beach town, every clue becomes a wedding rumor
-
Lifestyle1 hour ago‘Wait Wait’ for June 20, 2026: With Not My Job guest Caro Claire Burke
-
Technology2 hours agoSony’s Xperia 1 VIII is still a phone for the fans
