Mikel Arteta is in no way able to accept the penalty decision that went in favor of Everton.
“The referee’s decision changed the direction of the match,”
Arteta said in frustration after Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton. The Arsenal coach made it clear he strongly disagreed with the penalty awarded to Everton.
Arsenal took the lead at Goodison Park on Saturday through a goal from Leandro Trossard. However, they failed to hold onto that advantage. The match ended 1-1, a result that saw them fall further behind in the Premier League title race. Arteta pointed fingers at the referee for the outcome.
Early in the second half, referee Darren England awarded a penalty when Jack Hermisson was brought down in Arsenal’s box. VAR official Stuart Attwell reviewed the decision but chose to uphold it.
Replays, however, showed that the contact between Miles Lewis-Skelly and Hermisson was minimal at best. Arteta highlighted that moment after the match, expressing his anger and disagreement with the decision.
“The referee gave a penalty, which changed the direction of the game. I’m here to give my opinion. After watching it 15 times, I genuinely believe there’s no way that’s a penalty. Because if it was, then (Jack) O’Brien should’ve been forced off injured, and Everton would have had to play with 10 men. It’s clear.”
After two consecutive wins, this draw was a setback for Arsenal. They now sit second in the table with 62 points from 31 matches, recording 17 wins and 11 draws. Liverpool remain at the top, 11 points ahead, having played one game fewer.
