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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described the penalty awarded to Sunderland in his side’s 2-0 victory as “unacceptable at this level”, insisting the decision could have cost the Premier League champions the match.
Sunderland were awarded the spot-kick after Ezri Konsa was judged to have fouled Dan Ballard during a corner at the Stadium of Light. Arteta strongly disputed the decision, arguing that Ballard had pulled the Arsenal defender down.
“It’s a judo roll from the opponent. Ezri [Konsa] does nothing. Just watch it,” Arteta told BBC Match of the Day.
The decision came with the match still goalless and threatened to change the momentum in Sunderland’s favour. However, David Raya saved Enzo Le Fee’s penalty, tipping the effort onto the post.
Just over two minutes later, Bruno Guimaraes put Arsenal ahead with a superb strike from the edge of the area before Bukayo Saka converted a stoppage-time penalty to seal the victory.
Despite Arsenal extending their winning run to nine Premier League matches, Arteta remained deeply unhappy with the decision and questioned the role of VAR in the incident.
“We have a lot of cameras and VAR, we have to take responsibility to protect the game. Today the game was unprotected and it could have cost us the game and the momentum which is a really, really serious thing.”
Arteta said he had watched the incident about 20 times but still could not understand why the penalty was awarded.
“This should never happen, it’s not fair, and I am sad, very sad, in that sense,” he said. “I’m making it very clear publicly because it’s for the game, it’s not only for Arsenal, this cannot happen at this level.”
The Arsenal boss, who was booked during the first half for repeatedly leaving his technical area, also rejected the suggestion that the decision could be justified by the Premier League’s instruction to referees to clamp down on grappling during set-pieces.
“It’s not acceptable, I’ve watched it 20 times and can’t think of why it was given,” Arteta said.
Former Wales defender Ashley Williams also questioned the decision, saying Konsa’s shoulder appeared to have been pulled by Ballard before the Arsenal defender landed on him. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, however, acknowledged that the league’s stricter approach to grappling meant players risked conceding fouls in such situations.
Arteta nevertheless praised his players for surviving Sunderland’s pressure, particularly Raya’s penalty save, before Guimaraes and Saka secured the points. The victory maintained Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League season and extended their winning streak to nine matches.
