Manchester United stunned the Premier League by winning against Arsenal at the Emirates, but it doesn’t mean they weren’t hard done by.
Being on the hard end of refereeing decisions is becoming a worrying theme at Man Utd this season, and it didn’t help that Ruben Amorim never called out the referees.
Darren Fletcher started doing it immediately after Amorim’s sacking, and Michael Carrick has kept fairly quiet as results speak for themselves so far.
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WHAT A WIN!
Manchester United celebrate goal against Arsenal.
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However, United in Focus spoke to Mark Clattenburg after United’s win against Arsenal, and he wasn’t having any of the Arsenal ploy that hurt Carrick’s team.
Senne Lammens of Manchester United claims the ball ahead of Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 25, 2026
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Mark Clattenburg demands action on Arsenal tactic
Arsenal might be the league leaders and title favourites despite the loss to United, but nobody would argue that they’re flashy.
Mikel Arteta has crafted a brutally functional XI that relies on set-pieces and physicality to beat teams, and often don’t have an answer from open play when set-pieces don’t pan out their way.
It was clear again vs United, as Arsenal scored another set-piece goal, crowding Senne Lammens and boxing him inside his area before taking advantage of a loose ball in the chaos.
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Arsenal’s tactic of crowding the goalkeeper has been copied by other teams, including United, because they saw how easily Arsenal got away with it.
After seeing Arteta’s men do it again vs United, Clattenburg has had enough.
He said: “It’s clear that this has become more common when set-piece coaches were employed by clubs to get any advantage possible.
“It’s something the PGMOL and Premier League need to address, and any blocking on the goalkeeper must be punished by a free kick. Yes, more fouls will be given at first, but when teams realise they will not be allowed to use this tactic, they will stop. We see this tactic used less in the Champions League as referees punish more!”
Man Utd must start directing attention to this issue
To Amorim’s credit, he took this tactic from Arsenal and started using it to his own advantage, and it’s something Carrick will need to do as well.
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However, that doesn’t mean it’s the right way, as it contributes to an uglier game, as evidenced by the fixture against Arsenal.
The Arsenal supporters cheer for every corner like a penalty has been won, and the same script is repeated, where the players are not even looking at the ball being floated in.
Their sole focus is to stop the goalkeeper from being able to act, which takes away the only thing he can do to prevent it.
Being strict on set-pieces will add to a better game where teams will actually try to score from open play by taking risks instead of hitting it outside off a defender’s leg and celebrating wildly for a corner.
It started with Arsenal, and it has spread to other teams. Clattenburg is absolutely right that it’s high time the hammer comes down on it before a Premier League game becomes a series of corners.
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