Mikel Arteta calls out PGMOL after Arsenal penalty overturned | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has criticised PGMOL following Arsenal’s dramatic 2-1 win at Newcastle United, insisting that the decision to overturn a first-half penalty was not right.

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When Nick Pope clattered into Viktor Gyökeres, referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot. Everybody saw clearly that it was a penalty, regardless of how much he may or may not have touched the ball.

But, after prolonged VAR intervention by Darren England, Gillett reviewed the incident and reversed his own call, prompting outrage on the Arsenal bench and fury among supporters.

Speaking afterwards to Sky Sports, Arteta was unequivocal. “For me, it’s very clear that VAR doesn’t have to intervene. It’s a penalty.”

He also underlined that clubs had been briefed repeatedly that VAR should only step in if a “clear and obvious” error had been made. Once again, PGMOL ignored their own rules.

Even Bukayo Saka, rarely one to speak out, made his feelings plain. “It’s things like this that always go against us,” he told Sky Sports, before laughing that this time it had not impacted the final result.

“Obviously there’s a few things we can speak about, he said. “For example, the penalty. If we have VAR it’s for clear and obvious errors. And the fact that it took the ref that long to decide [to overturn it], it’s not a clear and obvious error.”

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The overturned penalty was one of several contentious moments in a fractious first half, with Saka targeted by repeated fouls from Joelinton and others without a single yellow being issued.

Arsenal’s frustration deepened when Riccardo Calafiori was booked for obstruction while far heavier challenges on Gyökeres went unpunished. The Swede did not receive a single free kick in the game, despite being dragged down by his face at one point.

Despite those setbacks, Arsenal’s quality eventually broke through. Mikel Merino, introduced in the second half, levelled with a looping header from Declan Rice’s cross before Gabriel sealed victory in stoppage time with a thumping finish from Martin Odegaard‘s cross.

The win, earned in hostile circumstances on a ground where Arsenal have struggled, felt bigger than three points.