Arteta angered by Pope avoiding red card

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta expressed his disappointment with Premier League referees, insisting both Manchester City and Newcastle United should have been reduced to 10 men in their recent encounters.

The Gunners defeated Newcastle 1-0 on Saturday as Eberechi Eze’s first-half stunner was enough to move the north London side back to top spot in the league.

This was just the fourth time Arsenal had won a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium when the game’s only goal came in the first 10 minutes, and the first time since October 2019 (1-0 v Bournemouth – David Luiz, 8:06).

However, their nerves could have been settled earlier, though Nick Pope was shown a yellow card when fouling Viktor Gyokeres way outside the box, with Malick Thiaw covering his goalkeeper.

Arteta also cited a moment from their defeat to City last weekend, when Abdukodir Khusanov challenged Kai Havertz while the German was going through on goal.

The Spaniard believes both challenges should have resulted in red cards, and “the world is different” if that had happened.

“I have to say as well in my opinion, it is a clear red card,” Arteta said of the Pope challenge.

“I have watched it 10 times. If you have ever played football, it is a red card.

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“It is the second time in two games because against Manchester City when Havertz goes through and Khusanov’s fouling him at 1-1, the title is there. It is a red card.

“So these are the margins as well. Hopefully, that is going to change. Everyone will have their opinion, I am here to give my opinion.

“I’m somebody who has been in the game for a long time. You talk to any of the players because the trajectory, where the ball is, there is no keeper there. If that had happened the other way around, it is a red card.

“I am saying the reality of the last two games at crucial moments when everything is at stake, we need everything to go our way and it hasn’t.

“I am not giving any excuses. I am the first one to understand. I didn’t talk about it when we lost the game. I am doing it when we won. It is a red card today. It is a red card in Manchester and the world is different. That’s it.”

Opta’s supercomputer still makes Arsenal the favourites to win the Premier League title, at 72.4%.