Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, expressed strong disapproval of the officiating standards in the Premier League after his team’s contentious loss to Newcastle. In the match, Anthony Gordon scored a winning goal that faced scrutiny from VAR for three potential infringements. Despite the multiple checks, the goal was allowed to stand. Arteta’s frustration was palpable as he questioned whether the Premier League could genuinely be considered the “best league” given the current state of officiating.
Arteta’s comments were reflective of his two decades of experience in English football, and he was adamant that the league was far from the standard it claimed to be. He emphasized the severity of the situation, as losing three points in such a competitive league can have significant consequences. He went as far as to label the decision to award the goal as “embarrassing.”
The controversy surrounding Gordon’s goal centered on three potential violations. Firstly, there was doubt whether the ball had gone out of play before Joe Willock delivered it into the box. Secondly, there were allegations of a foul by Joelinton on Arsenal defender Gabriel, which impeded Gabriel from clearing the ball. Finally, Gordon’s potential offside position added to the complexity of the situation. Despite these concerns, VAR failed to provide clear evidence to overturn the on-field decision, resulting in the goal standing and Arsenal’s first league defeat of the season.
Arteta’s remarks drew mixed reactions from various figures in the football world. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville supported the decision to award the goal, considering it the “correct” call. In contrast, Jamie Carragher criticized Arsenal’s statement in support of Arteta, deeming it “nonsense.” Former footballer Michael Owen also criticized Arteta’s behavior and labeled Arsenal’s backing of their manager as “totally classless.”
