Mikel Arteta refuses to backtrack on his VAR comments as FA writes letter
Premier League: Mikel Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said he stands by his statements, made in the aftermath of the Premier League match against Newcastle last week. Arteta's comment comes after the Football Association (FA) wrote to him and requested his and the club's observations over the VAR call.
Speaking on the eve of his team's Champions League match against Sevilla, Arteta insisted it was his duty to defend the club.
"I reflected very openly how I felt the team played, and how the game was conditioned by the decisions which were made," said Arteta.
"It's my duty to defend my players, support my players, defend my club, support my club, in the best possible way. It's what I'm going to do time after time," he added.
Quizzed if his outburst on the weekend was related solely to events at St James' Park or a build up of decisions, Arteta said: "These things don't happen overnight. When I was that clear and had the evidence for the words I used in the media, it's because I feel strongly about it."
What happened in the match?
)
Pentagon revives mandatory testosterone testing for male troops aged 30 and above
)
FACT CHECK: Why did PM Modi ask Xi ‘is it okay’ at BRICS Summit? New video reveals...
)
India seeks to build a full semiconductor supply chain
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
From Abhishek Sharma to Sahil Chauhan, 5 batters with fastest T20I hundreds
)
Pyongyang dismisses US, western pressure over nuclear programme
)
US And Denmark reach Greenland deal, Trump announces expanded military presence
)
Google’s Gemini AI hacks real systems by guessing passwords during security test
)
US hiding troop deaths in Iran war? Toll higher than Pentagon count, claims report
)
China may have gained access to US's classified F-35 jets; parts meant for repairs diverted to Hong Kong, sparking Pentagon inquiry
)
NASA research plane reaches 61,000 feet over Panama
)
Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton gives US lawmakers a one-year warning on AI
)
Trump signs Russia sanctions law: India faces fresh 100% tariff threat over Russian oil
)
Brigitte Bardot’s private collection set for Paris auction; key items and prices revealed
)
Why Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar missed India’s Oscar entry; FFI jury member reveals what happened
)
Zendaya and Tom Holland step out for a low-key date in Los Angeles
)
‘Will go to any extent’: Pakistan vows to defend Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks
)
The Verdict | When precision fails: US commits war crime in Minab school strike, UN finds
)
Trump signs Russia sanctions bill into law, targets Moscow’s energy sector
66 years of the Indus Waters Treaty: How India and Pakistan settled a bitter river dispute
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (September 18, 2026): Lust Stories 3, You+Me, Best of the Best- 8 new titles coming on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Pak: A series of counter terrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
)
Fast bowler Brydon Carse faces no charges over Derby nightclub incident
)
Flying cars in UAE: Ras Al Khaimah signs deal with Chinese company to test new transport
)
Africa is splitting, and a lot sooner than estimated, giving way to a new ocean
)
Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House over ‘FAKE NEWS’
)
Trump 2.0: Dark days ahead for America’s ‘imperial presidency’
)
Trump's Greenland dream comes true? POTUS announces 'Infinite Life' deal with Denmark, claims permanent US control
)
Tirupati Laddu ghee adulterated with chemicals, says ED, supplier arrested
)
Who is Khalilur Rahman? All you need to know about 81st UN General Assembly President
)
IIT Bombay student dies by suicide, was caught seeking AI help during exams
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 bowlers in latest ICC T20I rankings
)
Indian Cinema bets big on mythology, brings ancient stories to modern audiences
)
Ukraine plans record $109 bn defence spending, nearly two thirds of budget amid Russia war
)
Russia holds first parliamentary elections since the beginning of the Ukraine war
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 Indian batters with fastest T20I centuries
)
During the match, in the 64th minute, Joelintonjumped over Gabriel in the Arsenal penalty box which allowed Anthony Gordon to slot the ball past a diving David Raya.
However, during the VAR check, the referees looked at the possibility of the ball having gone out of play, Joelinton fouling Gabriel and Gordon being offside after goalkeeper David Raya came off his line.
After a good four-minute delay, VAR concluded it didn't have conclusive proof to overturn the on-field call. The decision left Arteta fuming as none of the three fouls went his team's way.
Absolute disgrace: Arteta
During the post-match interview, a visibly frustrated Arteta pulled no punches and gave the FA and Professional Game Match Officials Limite (PGMOL) his piece of mind.
“Embarrassing, it’s an absolute disgrace, that’s what it is: a disgrace," said Arteta, before adding:“There’s so much at stake, we’ve put in so many hours to compete at the highest level and you cannot imagine the amount of messages we’ve had saying this cannot continue. It’s embarrassing."
The loss had significant ramifications as Arsenal slipped from third spot to fourth, behind Liverpool. With the top-6 teams bunched up and teams losing titles by one point at the end of the season for the last few seasons, every point is critical and that may have triggered Arteta's outburst.
(With inputs from agencies)