Arsenal latest: Referee transcript emerges as Mikel Arteta handed new penalty verdict
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left furious following the Premier League match against Sunderland(Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Arsenal were given a major scare before eventually seeing off Sunderland and preserving their perfect start to the Premier League season. The Gunners left the Stadium of Light with a 2-0 victory on Saturday, but the result might have looked very different had David Raya not come to his side's rescue.
Sunderland were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when Ezri Konsa was penalised for bringing Dan Ballard down inside the Arsenal penalty area. Raya spectacularly saved the resulting spot-kick, keeping the scores level before Bruno Guimaraes broke the deadlock for Mikel Arteta's side.
However, the penalty incident has continued to generate debate after the final whistle. Arteta was particularly incensed by the decision, describing it as "unacceptable" and taking aim at referee John Brooks in a furious rant after the game.
"This cannot happen," he said. "In my view, I have been involved in football for 27/28 years. It's not a penalty in any game, in any game, in any context in any league... it is a judo roll. That's what it is."
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Match of the Day pundits have now weighed in on the controversial incident, while the official conversation between Brooks and VAR has also been made public. Here are the latest Arsenal headlines following Saturday's victory:
Mikel Arteta has received support from Match of the Day pundits Ashley Williams and Thomas Frank, with both agreeing that Sunderland should not have been awarded a penalty against Arsenal.
Williams, the former Premier League defender, was especially scathing when assessing the incident and insisted referee John Brooks had got it "completely wrong". He highlighted Dan Ballard's grip on Konsa's shirt as the Arsenal defender was pulled towards the ground.
"I think he [the referee] has got it completely wrong," he said. "Look at Ezri Konsa's left shoulder here - it's pulled down by Dan Ballard. It means that he spins round and he obviously lands on top of Dan Ballard. Mikel Arteta is right, it's almost a perfect kick toss like in judo. He's got hold of him.
Sunderland were controversially awarded a penalty just before Arsenal took the lead(Image: Alamy Live News.)
"If you look at Konsa's elbow getting driven down, he can't do anything about it at this point, he has to roll over. It's very clever by Ballard, but in no way is it a penalty. If anything, this has to be a foul the other way."
Frank, the former Tottenham manager, reached the same conclusion as Williams and agreed that the spot-kick should not have been given.
"I completely agree, I don't think it's a penalty," he said.
The conversation between referee John Brooks and VAR during the controversial incident has now been released by the Premier League, shedding more light on how the decision to award Sunderland a penalty was reached.
The exchange was published by the Premier League Match Centre account on X, with VAR ultimately agreeing with Brooks' assessment that Konsa had committed a holding offence against Ballard.
The transcript of the exchange between referee John Brooks and VAR has been revealed(Image: Getty)
"The referee's call of penalty to Sunderland for a holding offence by Konsa on Ballard was checked and confirmed by VAR.
"REF: 'He's all over him at the near post facing the wrong way.'
"VAR: 'I'm happy that it's a holding offence. The foul is confirmed. Confirming the on-field decision of penalty.'"
The Premier League also outlined its guidance on holding offences, stating that a foul can be given when actions are "clearly not an attempt to challenge for or play for the ball", when they are "impacting the ability of the opponent to play and/or challenge for the ball" or when a player is "holding an opponent with both arms".
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