Angry Arteta brands VAR referee incompetent
Arsenal manger Mikel Arteta has accused Lee Mason, the VAR who failed to rule out Brentford’s equaliser against Arsenal on Saturday, of not understanding his job and costing his side two crucial points in the title race.
Arsenal face Manchester City at Emirates Stadium Wednesday in what could be a pivotal game, with Pep Guardiola’s side only three points behind the Premier League leaders after Arteta’s team were held to a controversial 1-1 draw by Brentford.
Ivan Toney’s equaliser was allowed to stand despite Christian Norgaard and Ethan Pinnock both straying offside before the striker headed in. Norgaard provided the assist, while Pinnock blocked Gabriel in the build-up.
Arsenal received an apology for the error from Howard Webb, the Premier League’s head of referees — and Mason has not been selected as a VAR for the top-flight matches this weekend.
“We ended the game after analysing all the evidence that we’ve had with a huge anger and disappointment,” Arteta said. “That wasn’t a human error, that was a big not conceiving and understanding your job, and that’s not acceptable, I’m sorry. That costs Arsenal two points that’s not going to be restored.
“We’re going to have to find those two points somewhere in the league. At the same time we appreciate the apology and the explanations, and we got a lot of sympathy from colleagues in the industry. That’s it.
“We have to move on. That has certainly made the players, staff and our fans stronger and given them more desire to pass this hurdle that they put on us. So we’re ready for it.”
Asked if he would try to use the disappointment to galvanise his players for the game against City, Arteta said: “That was the reaction straight away from everybody. We can’t do anything about it, don’t use it as an excuse, try to move on, face it and that’s it.”
As a manager, Arteta has lost seven of his eight encounters with Guardiola, with whom he worked as an assistant at City, before taking charge at Arsenal in December 2019.
“For me it’s about the team, the team, the club and where we are,” he said. “Beating one manager or another, it’s not about that. It’s about beating the next opponent and in this case it’s Man City.”
Guardiola will give Erling Haaland as long as possible to prove his fitness after the Premier League’s top scorer picked up a knock against Aston Villa on Sunday. Arteta has planned for all scenarios.
“They can play with or without Haaland, with a false nine, with a false winger, with Bernardo [Silva] playing as a left back, with a right back coming inside, with Rodri playing as a centre back, they can do anything,” Arteta said.
“We know they can do those things and we try to prepare for it.”
Arsenal’s surprise title charge has been underpinned by two signings from City, with Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko having made a noticeable difference since arriving for a combined £75 million in the summer. Jesus, 25, is still recovering from the knee injury he sustained during the World Cup in Qatar, although Arteta said the Brazil forward was “doing well” and is back out on the training pitch.
Guardiola, meanwhile, insists he is pleased that Zinchenko, 26, is thriving in a new team. “Everyone here is in love with him. He was an important figure in our club,” Guardiola said.
“What I like the most about Alex was the fact that in the first years we wanted to move him from here, because we thought he wasn’t going to play much, and he said he was going to fight for his position.
“At the end, there were reasons and Mikel knows him pretty well, because they worked together. He believed he could be this piece to try to make the process a bit better. I’m happy for him, it’s going well.”
