Man City boss doubles down on Arsenal "bullying" claim after touchline spat
Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor maintains that Jonas Eidevall's behaviour was "over the top" during Arsenal's dramatic WSL 2-1 win on Sunday.
City looked to have salvaged a point and kept their unbeaten run alive as Chloe Kelly's second-half strike cancelled out Steph Catley's early opener.
But Stina Blackstenius was on hand to capitalise on a dreadful error from City keeper Khiara Keating in the match's final minutes. After the game Taylor stated in his post-match interview with BBC Sport that Eidevall was "bullying" fourth official Melissa Burgin during the contest.
It was a feisty contest at Meadow Park with eight players booked, although Eidevall did not receive a card. The goal kept Arsenal's title hopes alive with the Gunners now three points shy of leaders Chelsea and level on points with City, Liverpool and Tottenham.
In his initial post-match interview, Taylor said: "That is always the same with him (Eidevall) because he is constantly at the fourth official and I think it is bullying.
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"I am protecting the fourth official but that's not my job. Massively frustrated. We've had a good start and we move on and we will be better for this."
When asked to clarify his thoughts on Monday, Taylor stated his issue was around the "unnecessary" dialogue between Eidevall and the official on the touchline.
"I don't want to really elaborate," Taylor said. "But I was asked a question and that is why I said what I said. Why we were having a disagreement. We were told at the beginning of the season there would be a clamp down on asking for yellow cards, red cards, that type of stuff.
Stina Blackstenius celebrates scoring Arsenal's winning goal after an error from Man City keeper Khiara Keating (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)What are your thoughts on Gareth Taylor's views on Jonas Eidevall's behaviour? Share your response in the comments below
"I think it was over the top - it's unnecessary," he said. "If it's a one off, it's fine. But if it's constant, constant all the time, then I think that's where it becomes a problem."
City were the subjects of a contentious officiating display in their dramatic 1-1 draw with Chelsea earlier in the season as defender Alex Greenwood was controversially sent off in the first-half for a second yellow card offence. During that game, Taylor himself was yellow carded for complaining to the officials and felt that punishment needs to be applied consistently.
"I had a situation against Chelsea earlier in the season where I reacted to the fourth official in a way that I shouldn't have, and I received a yellow card and I deserved it," Taylor added.
"We've been told it in preseason this was going to happen. It needs to happen because I just think it's not acceptable. We just need to enforce it a little bit more, we want it to be fair, that's all."
Despite the late defeat, City controlled the game for large spells away at Arsenal. Khadija Shaw hit the woodwork at 1-1, while Manuela Zinsberger was forced to make a good save late on from Mary Fowler. And Taylor believes there were plenty of positives to take.
"I was super impressed with the performance we gave," added Taylor. "We beat ourselves. We were in control of the game. But the way we played and the identity we showed and the way we controlled the game, in a tough place to, we silenced the crowd and that was really impressive."
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Taylor's side will look to bounce back from the painful Arsenal defeat with two games in the space of five days. They face Liverpool in the Conti Cup on Wednesday, before a WSL clash with Brighton.
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