Arsenal Arteta
Keith Hackett
Mon 19 May 2025 16:40, UK
Keith Hackett has reacted to a yellow card for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta that will see him serve a touchline ban for his side’s final game of the season.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that referee Simon Hooper should have used “common sense” when booking the Gunners boss against Newcastle.
Declan Rice scored the only goal of the game for Arsenal as they beat the Magpies 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (18 May).
That win has ensured they will play Champions League football again next season, ahead of their trip to Southampton on the final day of the campaign.
Arsenal though, will have to play that game without guidance from Arteta on the touchline, after what happened against Newcastle.
Keith Hackett
Hackett believes Simon Hooper was too quick to penalise Mikel Arteta (Credit Imago)
Mikel Arteta penalised for time-wasting
With less than ten minutes of normal time remaining and the visitors going in search of an equaliser, Arteta was keen to help his side see out that win.
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As the ball ran out of play for a Newcastle throw in, Magpies right-back Emil Krafth moved to retrieve on of the balls from the strategically placed cones around the sidelines.
Meanwhile, the original ball had run into the Arsenal technical area, where Arteta then quickly kicked it back on to the pitch, holding up the restart in the process.
That led to the Spaniard being shown a yellow card by Hooper, and with that being his third of the season in the Premier League, he will now serve a touchline ban against Southampton.
Hackett though, believes that while a yellow card may have been the right response in law, that the referee could still have handled the situation differently.
Arsenal manager booking assessed
Arsenal last five games Result
PSG (H) Lost 1-0
Bournemouth (H) Lost 2-1
PSG (A) Lost 2-1
Liverpool (A) Drew 2-2
Newcastle (A) Won 1-0
After being asked by Football Insider what he made of the decision to book Arteta and earn him a ban for kicking the ball back onto the pitch, the former referee said:
“Well what he’s effectively done is his actions have delayed the restart, so it’s absolutely a nailed on yellow card.
“When you actually look at the situation they’re in, in fairness to him, he’s probably looking at tactics he’s wanting the game to move, just leave the ball alone!
“It’s an ex-player wanting to be a player! And he’s a manager! I have a view. There are some offences that managers make that you want to get involved in.
“I personally think that this one could have been managed by Simon Hooper. There was no build up to the situation, I think it’s just being a bit too pedantic.
“Just walk across and have a quiet word. He’d forgotten probably in his mind that there’s another ball coming on, he wants the game to continue.
“I thought it was a soft yellow card, that could have been managed and avoided. Ultimately at the end of the day you don’t have to be soft but as a referee you’re building up relationships with managers.
“You think ‘gain a working relationship’ and Simon Hooper could have passed it back to him and said ‘no we’re playing with that one down there’.
“I just feel that this referee can employ common sense, and on this occasion he’s applied the law. You can’t criticise him for applying the law, but in this instance, avoid it.”
There was then a fiery end to the game where both Arsenal and Newcastle could face charges after a clash between the two sets of players on the pitch immediately before the full time whistle.
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