Mikel Arteta called the choice to give Sunderland a penalty “absolutely unacceptable” even though Arsenal kept their flawless start to the season with a 2-0 win.
Arsenal faced another tough challenge but ultimately claimed the victory thanks to Bruno Guimaraes and Bukayo Saka. David Raya also made a vital contribution by stopping the Sunderland penalty, and Arteta commended his team for their strong reaction to the setback.
Arteta criticizes Sunderland’s penalty decision
Arteta expressed great satisfaction with another win after a grueling week that featured matches against Chelsea and Napoli. He admitted that Arsenal had some good spells but couldn’t score, which let Sunderland make the game hard with a physical and direct style.
The Arsenal manager was especially furious about the penalty call, stating that such an incident should never lead to a spot-kick at this level. He said he was “very worried and very sad” about the decision and its possible impact on the match.
Arteta felt Ezri Konsa had done nothing wrong in the incident and wondered why VAR hadn’t reversed the call. He called the opponent’s action a “judo roll” and argued that the available technology should have safeguarded the game.
David Raya saves a penalty for Arsenal
Arteta commended David Raya for making the crucial save after Sunderland were given the penalty. The goalkeeper’s intervention stopped the decision from shifting the match’s momentum and gave Arsenal a chance to bounce back.
The manager was also impressed by how his players responded to the setback. He pointed out their resolve to keep pushing forward despite the tough circumstances and eventually secure another win.
Arsenal then sealed the contest with two goals, as Bruno Guimaraes and Bukayo Saka scored. The result maintained the team’s 100% winning record this season.
Arsenal wins as Arteta calls for game protection
Though Arteta was happy with Arsenal’s response, he emphasized that his criticism wasn’t just about defending his own team. He said the issue was about the broader game and the need for officials and VAR to be accountable.
“I loved the save from David, the way the team reacted, and the way we go again and we go against everything,” Arteta said, while insisting that the penalty decision should never have been made.
Arteta repeated that he was speaking out because he believed the incident was about fairness in football, not just Arsenal. He called the decision unfair and said he was “very sad” about what had happened.