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VAR mistakes: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta not satisfied with PGMOL apology

Feb. 14, 2023
VAR mistakes: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta not satisfied with PGMOL apology

Mikel Arteta will "only be satisfied" if his Arsenal side are given two points back for the VAR error that allowed Brentford's equaliser to stand in Saturday's Premier League match.

VAR operator Lee Mason did not draw the guidelines to check for offside on Ivan Toney's equaliser.

"It wasn't human error, it was not understanding your job," said Arteta.

"That's not acceptable, I'm sorry.

"It cost Arsenal two points that are not going to be restored so we are going to have to find those two points somewhere else in the league."

PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has contacted Arsenal to "acknowledge and explain the significant error" that occurred.

Former Premier League referee Webb, who took over the role at the end of last year, also apologised to Brighton after they had a goal disallowed for offside against Crystal Palace on Saturday because the VAR guidelines were wrongly drawn.

As a result of the 1-1 draw, Gunners manager Arteta saw his side's lead at the top of the Premier League cut to three points when second-placed Manchester City beat Aston Villa on Sunday.

Arsenal host City in a top-of-the-table meeting at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

"We ended the game - after analysing all the evidence we had with the images - with a huge anger and disappointment," said Arteta.

"We appreciate the apology and the explanations [from PGMOL] - they were really open. We received a lot of sympathy from our colleagues in football.

"I will only be satisfied if they give me the two points back, which will not be the case.

"They were sincere, open and genuine apologies and explanation which is really good but it doesn't change the fact we have two less points than we should have in the table."

Brentford striker Toney's 74th-minute goal was the subject of a VAR check by Mason following Ethan Pinnock's challenge on Gabriel.

That incident was cleared but there was a suggestion Christian Norgaard was offside in the goal's build-up.

However, Mason did not use the system's lines that would have shown whether the Brentford man was offside.


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