Premier League panel confirm referee got two decisions wrong in Newcastle vs Arsenal – but goal SHOULD have stood
MIKEL Arteta was WRONG to rage about Newcastle’s controversial winner last weekend – according to the official Prem oversight panel.
Furious Arteta slammed the “embarrassing” decision to award Anthony Gordon’s goal, claiming it was a “disgrace”.
While Arteta did not accuse ref Stuart Attwell or VAR Andy Madley directly, his criticisms were backed by an official club statement which was privately viewed as inflammatory within Prem circles.
Arteta, though, doubled down ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Sevilla, talking of a “stink”.
FA disciplinary chiefs have asked Arteta and Arsenal to explain their comments.
And now the Arsenal manager’s moan has been dismissed by the League’s “Key Match Incident Panel”.
The rotating group is comprised of three former players or coaches plus one representative from the prem and one from PGMOL.
Analysing the key incidents at St James’ Park, the panel voted 4-1 that Gordon’s goal SHOULD have stood – despite Arsenal’s anger.
The panel agreed that VAR Madley could not rule on whether the ball had gone out of play before it was crossed by Joe Willock or if Gordon was offside when he received the ball from Joelinton.
And the significant majority also backed Madley’s decision not to intervene and recommend an overturn despite Arsenal’s conviction that Joelinton’s challenge on Gabriel was a foul.
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The panel ruled: “Although Joelinton does have his hands on Gabriel, there isn’t enough to award a foul as Gabriel had made an action to play the ball before any contact.”
Attwell and Madley did, though, get two decisions wrong according to the panel, which ruled both Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimaraes should have been handed red cards for their clashes with Sean Longstaff and Jorginho respectively.
The panel unanimously agreed that Havertz’ touchline lunge was “a very dangerous challenge and the type of tackle that needs to be eradicated” while voting 3-2 that Guimaraes should have gone for a forearm smash on the Arsenal midfielder.
Wolves’ frustrations over a series of key calls against them would have been extended as the panel ruled they had wrongly seen a contentious penalty awarded for the second weekend running.
Hot on the heels of the mistake that helped Newcastle to a 2-2 draw at Molineux, the penalty agreed that Fabio Silva should not have been penalised for the injury time incident with George Baldock that brought Sheffield United’s spot kick winner.
All the incidents in Monday’s chaotic tussle between Spurs and Chelsea, which saw the home side reduced to nine men amid some 13 VAR checks, were adjudged correct.
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