Mikel Arteta unhappy with VAR after Arsenal’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest
Mikel Arteta expressed his dissatisfaction with VAR’s decision following Arsenal’s goalless draw against Nottingham Forest, highlighting a penalty claim he believed was “very clear,” reports BritPanorama.
The pivotal moment occurred in the second half when the ball struck Forest defender Ola Aina’s arm inside the penalty area. Officials reviewed the incident but determined the ball had first made contact with Aina’s shoulder before his arm, which they considered to be in a natural position.
Arteta remained unconvinced by this conclusion, indicating his frustration at what he perceived as a straightforward handball that warranted a penalty. “It hits the shoulder and then he takes the ball with the hand,” Arteta stated. “The explanation is not right, but then the rest, it’s OK. The order is OK, but the timing and the intention is very clear. If not, I wouldn’t be sitting here saying, in my opinion, it’s a very clear penalty,” he added.
The draw allowed Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points. However, that lead could be reduced to four if Aston Villa emerges victorious against Everton on Sunday. Despite the draw, Arsenal still has its sights set on the Premier League title, aiming for their first league championship in 22 years.
Arteta acknowledged that the missed opportunities might trigger doubts within the squad, as they had previously relinquished leads while eight points clear in April 2023. He remarked, “Obviously, we came here to win the game and we haven’t managed that for different reasons. But we created four massive chances, with (Gabriel) Martinelli an open goal, Declan Rice a tap-in, Mikel (Merino) and the header of Bukayo (Saka). And on top of that, there is a very clear penalty that has not been given.”
Despite dominating possession and creating clear chances, the failure to secure three points will weigh heavily on the Gunners. “So without conceding a single shot on target again, to find that we haven’t won the game with that is disappointing,” Arteta remarked. “Unfortunately we haven’t won today and the opportunity that we wanted to take we haven’t managed.”
With the Gunners having failed to capitalize on two stiff opportunities presented by rivals recently, the question looms whether Arsenal can maintain their form and harness their advantages as the title race intensifies. In these moments, the margin for error in a competitive league remains razor-thin, and the challenge is how they respond.
