The FA contend that Arteta’s comments were insulting towards officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or brought the game into disrepute.
The Evening Standard report that Arteta is likely to face a fine or a ban if he admits the charge, or if it is found to be proven by the independent regulatory commission.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on November 04, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on November 04, 2023. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
But there’s some good news, as Arsenal won’t face punishment for their statement supporting Arteta’s comments.
The FA wrote to both Arsenal and Arteta after the game for their observations, but only Arteta is facing a fine or ban. The Standard write that no further action will be taken against the club.
As for Arteta’s comments, the charge is somewhat of a farce.
Though Howard Webb denied that the officials had made an error in the case of Newcastle United’s goal, he admitted that they had made mistakes in earlier incidents involving Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimaraes.
Arteta’s comments about an embarrassing or disgraceful performance by the officials would seem to be justified, if two of the three major decisions have been assessed to be wrong.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Newcastle player Joelinton and Arsenal defender Gabriel look on as Anthony Gordon fires home past David Raya for the Newcastle winning goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on November 04, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND: Newcastle player Joelinton and Arsenal defender Gabriel look on as Anthony Gordon fires home past David Raya for the Newcastle winning goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on November 04, 2023
Even the goal decision hasn’t been proven correct. The PGMOL maintain only that it can’t be proven that the ball was out of play, nor that Anthony Gordon was offside.
They do not claim the decisions were correct, just that they couldn’t be proven incorrect.
So Arteta is well within his rights to maintain a belief that any of the three of the game’s big decisions were wrong, and the best the PGMOL can say is that one of them might have been right.
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