Arteta was incandescent with rage after VAR had ruled that Anthony Gordon’s winner for the Magpies should stand, despite undergoing three separate checks. The source of Arteta’s anger came from the very first of those checks.
Joe Willock had attempted to keep the ball in play before crossing it into the penalty area, although there were major question marks over whether it had already gone out. Although one camera angle seemed to suggest it had, the decision was made that there was no conclusive proof. And so, after another two checks for a Joelinton challenge before deciding that Gordon was onside, the goal was eventually awarded. Cue angry Arteta.
“Embarrassing, it’s an absolute disgrace, that’s what it is: a disgrace,” Arteta said (via the Guardian). “There’s so much at stake, we’ve put in so many hours to compete at the highest level and you cannot imagine the amount of messages we’ve had saying this cannot continue. It’s embarrassing.
“It’s not acceptable, there’s too much at stake. I don’t want to be in the hands of these people. I don’t know how to feel. I’m wasting my time, we are wasting our time. It’s difficult enough to compete against Newcastle — they are a really good team, but we have to talk about how the hell this goal stood. It’s an absolute disgrace it was allowed. For more than one reason it should not be a goal.
There was something a bit retro about Mikel Arteta’s rant after Arsenal’s defeat at Newcastle on Saturday. The Gunners boss’ diatribe to the media invoked memories of Kevin Keegan losing the plot during the 90s, and he could end up facing just as much ridicule for it.
