Arsenal lost 1-0 at Newcastle in November thanks to Anthony Gordon’s goal; Arteta hit out at the decision to allow the goal, calling it ’embarrassing’; Arsenal manager charged with misconduct by FA; Independent Regulatory Commission finds charge not proven; FA will not appeal decision
By Sam Blitz and Zinny Boswell
Mikel Arteta has been cleared by an independent Regulatory Commission after he was charged by the FA for his post-match comments after Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle.
The Arsenal manager was charged with FA rule E3.1 after he criticised the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winning goal for Newcastle on November 4 in an interview with Sky Sports.
“It’s a disgrace,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “It’s embarrassing. That’s how I feel and that’s how everybody feels in that [dressing] room. You cannot imagine the amount of messages we’ve got saying this cannot continue. It’s embarrassing. I’m sorry, embarrassing.”
“I feel sick. That’s how I feel. I feel sick to be part of this. It is not good enough and we cannot accept that.”
The FA alleged Arteta’s comments constituted misconduct in that they were insulting towards match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or brought the game into disrepute. However, the independent Regulatory Commission found that the charge was not proven.
The goal had three key talking points – whether Newcastle’s Joe Willock had taken the ball out of play in the build-up to the goal, whether Joelinton fouled Gabriel in assisting the goal, and whether Gordon was offside before scoring.
The FA’s written reasons for Arteta avoiding a charge said he only had two issues with the goal – the foul on Gabriel and whether the ball went out of play.
The written reasons also stated that:
- Arteta did not mean to insult with his use of the word ‘disgrace’ as the Spanish word ‘desgracia’ has a different meaning to the English word
- Arteta has made “considerable efforts” to improve VAR with the PGMOL and other stakeholders, as the technology is “below necessary standards”
- Arteta attended a “wholly unproductive” meeting with the PGMOL on November 2 – two days before the Newcastle game
- In his evidence, Arteta revealed that Willock, who used to play under Arteta, told the Arsenal players that the ball had indeed gone out of play
Sky Sports News understands the FA will not appeal against the decision of the independent Regulatory Commission that cleared Arteta of the misconduct charge he faced.
Either side has the right to appeal against a commission decision, but any appeal has to be lodged within a certain time frame of the decision, and that deadline has now passed.
What we learned from the written reasons
Arteta was ‘lost in translation’
The FA wrote to Arteta through Arsenal to express its “concern” with his post-match comments at St James’ Park in three separate interviews.
In one of the examples, Arteta said: “It’s embarrassing what happens and how this goal stands, in the Premier League, in what we say is the best league in the world.
“We really have to think about that deeply. Because I have been 20 years in this country and now I feel ashamed. It’s an absolute disgrace. You look at it on the TV and it’s an absolute disgrace.”
In his response, the Arsenal manager explained that part of his interview had been lost in translation because the English “disgrace” has a different meaning to the Spanish ‘desgracia’.
He wrote: “[The word disgrace] has a very similar spelling and pronunciation to the Spanish ‘desgracia’ … the Spanish word has connotations of misfortune, tragedy or bad luck rather than the connotations of the English equivalent which suggest contempt, dishonour or disrespect.
“While the English meaning may lead to interpretations of abuse or insult, this was not the intended meaning of the comments.”
Arteta’s efforts to fix VAR
The written reasons stated that Arteta and Arsenal wrote a letter to the commission on November 13, nine days after the Newcastle match.
Arteta said that he had made “considerable efforts” in the past to help the PGMOL and its chief refereeing officer Howard Webb to improve the standards of refereeing and VAR.
However, despite the Arsenal manager’s efforts, it has “failed to produce any meaningful improvements”, according to Arteta’s letter.
The written reasons also made a reference to the mistake made by VAR in disallowing Luis Diaz’s goal for Liverpool against Tottenham on September 30.
In his evidence, Arteta said he attended a meeting with the PGMOL and Webb on November 2, along with Premier League representatives and the majority of the other top-flight managers.
The Arsenal manager described the meeting, which took place two days before the Newcastle match, as “wholly unproductive”.
Willock confesses to taking the ball out
The written reasons revealed after the game that Arteta reviewed the footage of Newcastle’s goal and that it “reinforced his belief” that the goal should not have stood.
In his evidence, the Arsenal manager also revealed that Willock, who played under Arteta at the north London club between December 2019 and July 2021, told his former Gunners team-mates that he had indeed taken the ball out of play.
Arteta said those two matters “increased… his sense of injustice and frustration” ahead of going into his Sky Sports interview and press conference.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
