Arteta: ‘Newcastle goal a disgrace and embarrassing’
By Story Agencies, November 5, 2023Mikel Arteta has described the controversial decision to award Newcastle’s winning goal against Arsenal as ‘disgraceful’ and ’embarrassing’.
Anthony Gordon’s goal survived a triple VAR check with Arsenal arguing the ball had gone out of play in the build-up and Gabriel was then pushed in the back.
Claims for an apparent offside were also not upheld after VAR deemed they could not determine the moment of contact when the ball was passed to Gordon.
“It’s a disgrace,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “It’s embarrassing. That’s how I feel and that’s how everybody feels in that [dressing] room. You cannot imagine the amount of messages we’ve got saying this cannot continue. It’s embarrassing. I’m sorry, embarrassing.”
The Arsenal manager added: “I feel sick. That’s how I feel. I feel sick to be part of this. It is not good enough and we cannot accept that.”
Gordon’s goal condemned the Gunners to their first Premier League defeat of the season.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, perhaps predictably, saw matters rather differently. “It looked a good goal to me,” he said. Had the goal been ruled out, Newcastle would have ended the match with an XG of 0.3.
Furious Arteta
Arteta’s fury with Newcastle’s goal continued in his press conference.
“We have to talk about the result because we have to talk about how the hell this goal is stand up. It’s incredible. I feel embarrassed,” he said. “But I have to be the one coming now here to try to defend the club and please ask for help because it is an absolute disgrace this goal is allowed. It’s an absolute disgrace.
“It’s not a goal. For many reasons it’s not a goal. For more than one reason it’s not a goal. It’s too much at stake. We put so much effort, it’s so difficult to compete at this level, and it’s an absolute disgrace. I feel embarrassed.
“I’ve been more than 20 years in this country, and this is nowhere near the level to describe this as the best league in the world. I am sorry.”