Arsenal will contact Pro Ref, the body in charge of officiating in English football, over the decision to award Sunderland a penalty in Saturday’s Premier League match at the Stadium of Light, a source has told ESPN.
Arsenal won the match 2-0, but Mikel Arteta was left angered by a decision in the second half to penalise Ezri Konsa for a foul on Dan Ballard.
Referee John Brooks awarded Sunderland a penalty, with David Raya brilliantly saving Enzo Le Fee’s effort. The penalty was awarded for a foul by Konsa on Ballard, but Arteta felt the decision should have gone the other way, arguing that it was Ballard who was in the wrong.
A source has confirmed to ESPN that Arsenal will seek an explanation from Pro Ref over the call and clarity for why Brooks gave the penalty and why the video assistant referee (VAR) backed the call on review.
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The Premier League Match Centre issued clarification saying the “holding offence” from Konsa was “checked and confirmed by VAR.” However, Arteta was less than impressed.
“I’m very worried and sad because this can never be a penalty,” Arteta said on the BBC post-match.
“It’s a judo roll from the opponent. Ezri does nothing. We have to take responsibility to protect the game. Today the game was unprotected and it could have cost us the game and our momentum. It’s really serious. It should never have happened. It’s not fair.
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“It’s not only for us, it cannot happen at this level.” Arteta said post-match:
“This is not acceptable at this level. I watched it 20 times and I cannot find a way to understand how they think to give a penalty in that situation, or the way the VAR has to intervene.
“So I don’t know what to think. I’m sad that we have to discuss this after such a beautiful game, that at this level has the gravity of that. Because that changes the course of the season and it can cost you the championship. At this level, with all the work we put in, this cannot happen.”
