Mikel Arteta has defended his actions after avoiding a charge from the FA following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle in November.
Mikel Arteta was 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 a post-match interview.
Arteta spoke of the support he has felt from his players, staff and the whole club.
“Obviously to the club I felt really supported but I knew that because I had a feeling when we were in that dressing room and the way the team was feeling, it was something special that I didn’t have that feeling before in a dressing room”, said Arteta.
“And after when we got the decision, as I said I tried to explain myself and the reason why, the motives, the position that we hold as well. Truly I felt some sympathy as well because we are constantly demanding support from many people.
“As I said 14 is the number of managers (sacked), plus two caretaker managers, this is incredible. And this is the thin line that we live in every single day, so that’s the word I would use – sympathy.”
Arteta was also banned from the touchline for Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa, and was ordered to sit in the stands.
He had accumulated his third yellow card of the campaign, after celebrating Declan Rice’s winning goal against Luton Town earlier this month.
“I have not been the first in life that has been charged. It looks like I’m the one! It’s ok, but as well finish the sentence – I was getting charged and now I haven’t been charged, so I haven’t been charged never by the FA so I am clean!”, said the Arsenal boss.
“This cannot happen because if you have not been charged you have to be looked at exactly the same. It is who I am as a person, this is my character, the love that I have for my profession, my club, my players, how I defend them. that’s it.
“There have been many times we have shown incredible respect for everybody, whether it is opponents, referees, other clubs, as an institution we are there to defend and support them as well.”
