Premier League risk angering Arsenal boss Arteta again after VAR decision backed
The Premier League have risked angering Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta again after the decision to give Anthony Gordon’s goal on Saturday was deemed correct. An independent panel has reportedly deemed there was not enough evidence for the goal to be ruled out on any grounds.
Arteta unleashed an incredible rant following the Gunners’ 1-0 loss at St James’ Park. The Spaniard said he felt “embarrassed” that Gordon’s goal stood and labelled it “an absolute disgrace”.
Arsenal supported Arteta by releasing a statement less than 24 hours later. The club and Arteta felt there was no way the goal should have counted.
Replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball had gone out of play before Joe Willock crossed into the box. Arteta also felt Joelinton fouled Gabriel as he got on the end of Willock’s cross.
VAR decided it wasn’t a foul and also were unable to pinpoint the moment the ball came off Joelinton to determine whether Gordon was standing in an offside position. The Premier League’s Independent Key Match Incidents Panel have now reviewed every incident.
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The five-person panel is made up of three former players/coaches, as well as a representative from the Premier League and PGMOL. And in a development which could anger Arteta further, ESPN reports that there was a 4-1 vote in favour of Joelinton having not fouled Gabriel.
It was deemed there wasn’t enough contact from Joelinton on his fellow Brazilian to give a foul. The panel also upheld VAR’s verdict that there was not enough evidence to rule the goal out on both the offside and whether the ball went out of play.
Arteta will also likely scoff at the panel’s unanimous verdict that Kai Havertz should have been sent off. The German flew into a challenge on Sean Longstaff, where he caught his opponent with his trailing leg.
The panel considered the tackle “very dangerous” and one that needs to be eradicated from the game. There was less clarity with the incident where Bruno Guimaraes caught Jorginho on the head with his arm, with a split 3-2 verdict in favour of it being a red card.
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Arteta and Arsenal have received strong criticism for their reaction to Saturday’s match. But speaking on Tuesday, Arteta stood by his and the club’s actions.
He said: “It is my duty to stand in front of you, to stand in front of the cameras and give a very clear and honest assessment of what happens in the game. This is what I did, reflect very openly on how I felt that the team played and how the game was conditioned by this result with the decisions that were made.
“It’s the duty, my duty is defending my players, supporting my players, supporting my club, defending my people in the best possible way and this is what I’m going to do time after time. I do it the way I feel with the evidence and being as clear as possible and I always do it.”
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