Arsenal faced controversy in their match against Newcastle, particularly surrounding Anthony Gordon’s goal. The situation unfolded when Jacob Murphy’s shot narrowly stayed in play, leading to Joe Willock’s cross, which Arsenal’s David Raya missed. Joelinton then assisted Gordon in scoring, with Stuart Attwell initially awarding the goal.
However, VAR’s Andy Madley conducted a prolonged review. First, he ensured the ball had not gone out during Murphy’s cross. Despite clear camera angles suggesting it had not crossed the line, Stockley Park supported the on-field decision. Madley also examined a potential foul on Gabriel by Joelinton but concluded there was no infringement after numerous checks.
Finally, VAR raised the issue of Gordon being offside. Normally, this would have nullified the goal, as Gabriel was the only Arsenal player between Gordon and the goal. Yet, Stockley Park struggled to find a clear camera angle to determine if and when Joelinton played the ball to Gordon. Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville supported Madley’s decisions.
While the goal stood, Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, expressed his outrage, branding the decision “embarrassing.” He decried the situation, considering it a travesty in the Premier League, which he deemed the best in the world. Arteta stressed the importance of upholding high standards in the league.
He acknowledged his team’s performance but insisted that the outcome fell short of what was expected. Arteta expressed his disappointment in the manner in which the game was decided and lamented the high stakes involved. Despite congratulating his players for their effort, he believed there were multiple reasons the result did not reflect the match, asserting that Arsenal had been the team trying to win.
