Jamie Carragher don tok say Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta dey become like Sir Alex Ferguson of the Premier League after e criticise the penalty wey dem award against im side for Saturday 2-0 win at Sunderland. Arteta bin furious and e call the saved second-half penalty unacceptable after referee John Brooks point to spot when Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa bring down Dan Ballard. The Gunners later ask Pro Ref for explanation over why dem give the penalty. Arteta anger make Carragher compare am with former Manchester United boss Ferguson, wey no dey fear to criticise match officials in public, even when im side dey dominate domestic football.
Arsenal no concede penalty for last season title-winning campaign and Carragher believe don Arteta dey use im Premier League champion status to influence referees decision-making. He tell Monday Night Football say this na Mikel Arteta becoming the Sir Alex Ferguson of the Premier League right now. He be don at the moment, he be Premier League champion. Plenty new managers dey around, he don dey im role for six or seven years, and he feel say he dey position of power to talk say e no be penalty. And Carragher tok say e no think say e be penalty. But e go interesting to see how long e go take for another referee to give penalty against Arsenal for similar situation. Carragher also note say for press conference, no matter which question journalist ask Arteta, he keep going back to the penalty, so he determined to push narrative say this no go happen again to im club. But na manager thing, we don see am with Sir Alex Ferguson, we don see am with Jose Mourinho.
Former Luton, Middlesbrough and Wolves boss Rob Edwards be special guest on MNF and e agree with Carragher view on Arteta. Edwards tok say Jamie right. Arteta don put himself for position where he dey look after im team and im football club, and people go listen to Premier League-winning manager. Dem go listen to am; he get powerful voice there now.
Latest from Sky Sports Sam Blitz: Arsenal set to hold talks with Pro Ref over the penalty Sunderland get on Saturday. The Gunners want explanation why dem give the penalty on field and why VAR approve am. Arsenal don regularly ask Pro Ref for consistency in refereeing decisions. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta tok for im post-match press conference at Stadium of Light say the first question we must discuss na this one. This no acceptable at this level. He call am beautiful game of football with two teams, with atmosphere inside stadium wey unbelievable. He praise Sunderland say dem well organised, dem good in many phases, dem get great players and dem create plenty issues. Arsenal must cope with all of that for a really difficult week. And on top of that, dem must go through wetin happen today, wey for im opinion no acceptable. Arteta tok say he watch am 20 times and he no fit find way to understand how dem think to give penalty for that situation, or how VAR take intervene. So he no know wetin to think. He sad say dem must discuss this after such beautiful game, because for this level e get gravity. E change course of season and e fit cost you championship. At this level, with all the work we put in, this no fit happen.
BBC report say Arsenal go contact Pro Ref over incident where Ezri Konsa concede penalty in Saturday win over Sunderland. Konsa and Black Cats defender Dan Ballard get physical exchange inside penalty area and Arsenal defender adjudged to foul Sunderland player for excessive holding. After game Gunners manager Mikel Arteta criticise decision, and e understood say Premier League champions go hold talks with professional referee body for explanation why dem award penalty. Arsenal keen to avoid major refereeing decisions impacting results and want clarity over how referee John Brooks take im decision. Brooks initially award Sunderland spot-kick on field, and VAR back decision. Premier League Match Centre statement tok say referee call of penalty to Sunderland for holding offence by Konsa on Ballard was checked and confirmed by VAR. After game Arteta still tok say this no acceptable at this level. He watch am 20 times and he no fit find way to understand how dem think to give penalty for that situation, or how VAR take intervene. He sad say dem must discuss this after beautiful game, because e get gravity. E change course of season and e fit cost you championship. At this level, with all work we put in, this no fit happen. Match of the Day pundits Ashley Williams and Thomas Frank both tok say Sunderland no suppose get penalty, and dem claim say Arsenal suppose get free-kick. Williams tok say e think dem get am completely wrong. E be almost like perfect hip toss in judo from Ballard. In no way e be penalty.
Football London understand say Arsenal don dey dialogue with Pro Ref chief Howard Webb after the controversial penalty decision. Ezri Konsa adjudged to commit holding offence on Dan Ballard wey make John Brooks point to spot. David Raya ultimately save Enzo Le Fee effort from 12 yards and even though Gunners go on win 2-0, Arteta still slam decision. Arteta tell TNT Sports say he dey so upset, e unacceptable at this level, unacceptable. E fit change course of season. He see am 10 times to make sure and he tok say e no possible say e be penalty. E be judo roll. That na wetin e be. This no fit happen. For im view, he don dey football for 27 or 28 years. E no be penalty in any game, in any context, in any league. Arteta go into more detail for press conference and after praising players, once again take aim at officials. Gunners boss bin even more baffled after watching incident several times. He tok say first question we must discuss na this one, and e no acceptable at this level, because e be beautiful game of football, with two teams, with atmosphere inside stadium wey unbelievable. With Sunderland, dem well organised, dem good in many phases, dem get great players, dem create plenty issues. Arsenal must cope with all of that, because e be a lot for a really difficult week, after Chelsea and Napoli. And on top of that, dem must go through wetin happen today, wey for im opinion no acceptable. He watch am 20 times and he no fit find way to understand how dem even think to give penalty for that situation, or how VAR take intervene. So he no know wetin to think. For Arsenal case, bad refereeing call no make difference as Bruno Guimaraes score off bench to put visitors in front moments after Raya penalty save. Bukayo Saka then add second deep into stoppage time to increase advantage and remove any concern say Sunderland go grab late equaliser.
