It is almost a year ago to the day that Arsenal last visited Newcastle for a game that was the Gunners' boss let rip at the officials after a narrow loss. It was the team's first reverse of the season as Anthony Gordon scored the game's decisive goal.
He was made to sweat though as his strike from close range needed to be checked by VAR for three separate issues. Originally the ball looked to have gone out, then Arsenal protested that Gabriel had been fouled before Gordon himself may have been offside.
For Newcastle, good things really did come in threes. For Arsenal, and particularly Arteta, the inquest began as he launched a rant in two separate press conferences. The first with Sky Sports and then again with the written media with his words landing him in hot water.
In the immediate aftermath he made his feelings clear as he said: "It's a disgrace. It's embarrassing. That's how I feel and that's how everybody feels in that [dressing] room. You cannot imagine the amount of messages we've got saying this cannot continue. It's embarrassing. I'm sorry, embarrassing."
The Arsenal manager added: "I feel sick. That's how I feel. I feel sick to be part of this. It is not good enough and we cannot accept that."
The reverse meant that Arsenal dropped down to fourth and Arteta inevitably was charged by the FA following his comments. His rant with Sky Sports didn't act as a stress reliever though as he waltzed into his second press conference and continued to air his fury.
He said: "We have to talk about the result and talk about how the hell this goal stands. I feel embarrassed, I have to be the one to come in here and defend the club and ask for help because it is a disgrace that this goal is allowed."
Arteta was then particularly frustrated when he was asked what aspect of the goal - given so much of it was shrouded in controversy - particularly angered him. The Spaniard failed to pinpoint one aspect.
He explained: "This is really the question? It is not a goal, it's simple, it's not a goal. For a goal to be allowed there are things that prior to that that are not allowed in football. In here, China, Japan, Spain, Italy, Portugal. They are not allowed."
Refereeing had already found itself under the microscope and this incident was just another stick with which to beat the officials. Just weeks earlier Liverpool had a perfectly good goal missed by the VAR in what was seen by many as the biggest blunder since the system came in several years ago.
Newcastle's goal was less controversial, but plenty felt that the foul on Gabriel, which was the second of the three checks, was likely the most obvious officiating blunder.
But the issue would not go away and Arsenal themselves threw fuel on the fire when they release their own collective statement. In a largely unprecedented move the north London club came out and backed Arteta's post-match comments as they challenged the PGMOL to step up.
They said: “Arsenal Football Club wholeheartedly supports Mikel Arteta’s post-match comments after yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors on Saturday evening.
“The Premier League is the best league in the world with the best players, coaches and supporters, all of whom deserve better. PGMOL urgently needs to address the standard of officiating and focus on action which moves us all on from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations and apologies."
Arsenal still feel as though they've been on the wrong side of the referees this season. Already they've been hit with three red cards - two of which didn't sit well with Arteta. After seeing Leandro Trossard sent-off at Manchester City the Gunners boss said it was "really, really worrying" to see such decisions given.
The Spaniard has also given no guarantees that their won't be a repeat show of emotion in the north east. Arteta knows that a wrong word or action could see him banned from the touchline, but wasn't about to curb his emotional approach and challenged the officials to accept that.
"I don’t want to miss any games, that is for sure. I cannot promise you that if we score a goal I am not going to be jumping up and down the touchline. I cannot guarantee that. Hopefully as well they (match officials) have adapted and they have understood that emotions are a big part of that. I cannot control myself in the scoreline, and so far it has worked."
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