Arsenal appealed for a penalty against Nottingham Forest, after a potential handball by Ola Aina.
The Gunners weren’t able to find a winning goal against Forest over the weekend, as they drew 0-0, and missed the chance to go nine points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table. Arsenal were left frustrated at the City Ground, and manager Mikel Arteta wasn’t happy with the referee.
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Forest defender Ola Aina was seen to handle the ball in the box late on in the game for a potential penalty, which could have been the difference between three points, and a nine point gap or not.
Arsenal will now go into their next Premier League game against Man United, seven points clear at the top of the table, and still looking over their shoulder.
Arteta thinks Arsenal should have had “clear penalty”
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After the game, Arteta expressed his frustration in his post-match interview, as he believes his side deserved the penalty against Forest, despite VAR ruling it a non-handball.
He told TNT Sports: “The clear penalty that we cannot forget. That is a clear penalty in the box that’s not been given. Those are the margins. I saw it live, I saw it here. I saw it now again. It’s very unnecessary but he brings the ball in with his hand.”
Arteta argues that the margins are so narrow in the Premier League title race, and he feels his side were hard done by on Saturday.
Ex-PL referee silences Arteta’s penalty claim
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In response to Arteta, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said on Sky Sports Ref Watch, that the Arsenal boss had nothing to complain about.
Gallagher said: “100% not a penalty. Firstly, you see it comes off his shoulder, Elliot Anderson pushes him into the ball, his arm is in a natural position. I don’t think there’s much to argue about to be honest.”
The other guest on the show was former PL striker Jay Bothroyd, who despite being an Arsenal fan, agreed with Gallagher. He replied: “I agree, the rule is that if the ball comes off your shoulder and onto your arm, it’s not a handball, that’s what’s happened there.
“For me, that’s an accident, I don’t want to see penalties for that, I agree with the officials there, it shouldn’t have been a penalty, it was the correct decision.”
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