FA reach decision on punishment for Arsenal statement as Arteta awaits fate

17 November 2023 , 09:51

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FA reach decision on punishment for Arsenal statement as Arteta awaits fate

Arsenal will face no punishment after releasing a statement which stood by Mikel Arteta's rant in the aftermath of their loss at Newcastle.

The Spaniard though - who claimed the decision to award Anthony Gordon's goal was a "disgrace" - could face a touchline ban. The FA wrote to the club and their manager asking for their observations following the defeat at St James' Park in early November.

Gordon's strike survived three VAR checks before it was given with all three aspects proving to divide opinion. Arsenal put out a statement which stood by Arteta's comments but the Evening Standard understands they will not be reprimanded by the FA for doing so.

It their statement the north Londoners said they "wholeheartedly support" their manager and claimed that they had suffered from "yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors". They also stated that the "PGMOL urgently needs to address the standard of officiating".

Arteta's post-match rant, which saw him make his feelings known with Sky Sports and then again in the written media press conference, saw his say: "It is embarrassing, it is a disgrace, that's what it is, a disgrace."

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He went on to add: "We've been taking it up (with the PGMOL) for months. There is too much at stake, we put in so many hours. I'm here to represent the football club and to get my team to compete at the highest level, the margins are so small, it's a disgrace, embarrassing.

Anthony Gordon scored a controversial winner as Newcastle saw off Arsenal (CameraSport via Getty Images)

"It is how I feel. The amount of messages we've sent saying this cannot continue. I'm sorry, embarrassing. I'm defending my players when I have to, I defend my job when it is not good enough. I have to be here, to say it now, it is not acceptable, too much at stake."

Webb, who is in charge of Premier League refereeing body PGMOL, believes Joelinton's challenge "could be a foul, might be a foul". Yet he also insists it wasn't a "clear error". VAR's primary purpose is to overturn 'clear and obvious' errors - not dubious calls.

Samuel Meade