Mikel Arteta has defended his post-match reaction following Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle on Sunday.
The Gunners boss was left fuming by the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winner, with VAR checking for a possible foul, offside and if the ball had gone out of play in the lead up to the goal but deemed that there was no conclusive evidence to disallow it.
Arteta labelled the decision to allow the goal as a “disgrace” and “embarrassment” and speaking ahead of his side’s Champions League tie against Sevilla on Wednesday, the Arsenal boss insists he has no regrets about his reaction.
“It is my duty to stand in front of you, to stand in front of the cameras and give a very clear and honest assessment of what happens in the game, and this is what I did,” Arteta said.
“Reflect very openly how I felt that the team played and how the game was conditioned by these results with the decision that were made and it is the duty.
“My duty is to be defending my players, supporting my players, supporting my club, defending my people in the best possible way, and this is what I’m going to do time after time.
“And I do it not the way I feel, with the evidence, and being as clear as possible, and I always do it when we they really need to say that.
“When we have lost, to take my responsibility, the first one is me to do it and it’s the way that I am and I have to defend my club.”
Arsenal subsequently released a statement saying they “wholeheartedly support Arteta’s comments” and called on the refereeing body PGMOL to “urgently address the standard of officiating”.
“Again, we have a duty to express how we feel with all the evidence that we have and the history of what happened, and I think we have to really stand for our people, our values and who we are,” Arteta said.
“And when the club has done it is done in a very specific moment for the right reasons and it shows as well the unity and understanding that is within the club to position ourselves in a really clear and honest way, I think that’s our duty as a club.”
