Arteta fumes over controversial penalty decision after Arsenal's win

Mikel Arteta expressed his frustration in an interview with TNT Sports after Arsenal was awarded a contentious penalty against Sunderland.

Although David Raya saved the penalty and the Gunners went on to score twice in the second half, the Arsenal manager made his displeasure towards referee John Brooks clear.

He stated: "It is a huge win but it could have been something different." When pressed for clarification, Arteta responded: "You know in what way, in the way that could have changed the game." When specifically asked about who could have changed the game, he bluntly reiterated, "you know who." When asked if he was referring to the penalty, the Spaniard quickly confirmed: "Yeah. I'm so upset, it is unacceptable at this level, unacceptable. It can change the course of the season. I've seen it 10 times to make sure and I said 'it is not possible it is penalty'. It is a judo roll. That's what it is. This cannot happen. In my view. I have been involved in football for 27/28 years. It's not a penalty in any game, in any game, in any context in any league."

While he was clear about his feelings regarding the penalty, he did commend Raya's save from the spot and the determination shown by his players. He remarked: "Unbelievable players that we have and the courage to go again and again. That is why I'm so pleased and so worried in another."

Arteta elaborated further on his views in front of journalists, indicating that this subject would overshadow discussions about Bruno Guimaraes' significant goal and the potential injury to Ben White, who was substituted at half-time. He began: "Look, the first question that we have to discuss is, and this is not acceptable at this level, because it was a beautiful game of football, with two teams, with an atmosphere in this stadium, it was unbelievable.

"With Sunderland they are so well organised, they are so good in so many phases, they have great players, they create a lot of issues. We have to cope with all of that, because it was a lot in a really difficult week, after Chelsea and Napoli.

"And on top of that, we have to go through what we've done today, that in my opinion is not acceptable. And I watched it 20 times, and I cannot find a way to understand how we even think to give a penalty in that situation, or the way the VAR has to intervene. So I don't know what to think, really."

"But I'm sad that we have to discuss in such a beautiful game something at this level that has the gravity of that, because that changes the course of the season, and it can cost you the championship. And at this level, with all the work that we put in, this cannot happen."

"Well you see it. It's a judo roll? You don't think it's a judo roll and it brings the players on the floor. How can this be a penalty? I don't know. I cannot find an explanation, honestly. That's why I'm going to try to find an explanation now."

When asked if the decision had been explained to him, Arteta replied: "No, I have to be here in front of you guys and talk about it. I don't want to talk about it, I want to talk about the game, and how good we were, how good Sunderland was, and the level of the league, and how beautiful this is.

"We should never be talking about this, for the sake of that, it was incredible. We should not even be talking about that." Following the controversial penalty, it was Guimaraes' stunning goal and Saka's penalty that ultimately secured the victory for Arsenal, maintaining their perfect win record.

Source: Football London