LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 25: Mikel Merino of Arsenal reacts after he had scored the equalising goal (2-2) during the Premier Le
Mikel Merino scored for Arsenal from a corner late on against Man United (Image: Getty Images)
PGMOL have been urged to clamp down on goalkeepers being swarmed at corners after a goal scored by Arsenal against Manchester United. Former referee Mark Clattenburg insists officials must adopt a stricter stance to prevent attacking sides from capitalising on such scenarios. Despite enduring a 3-2 loss, the Gunners displayed their dead-ball expertise when Mikel Merino found the net with a disputed goal following a corner in the 84th minute.
United's keeper, Senne Lammens, was overwhelmed and couldn't successfully claim the ball, enabling the Spaniard to pounce - but Clattenburg believes the Premier League and Professional Game Match Officials Limited should ban these methods. Clattenburg is demanding tighter control of this situation. The former official reckons that handing out more free-kicks will rapidly eliminate this approach. And the ex-referee maintains this would merely align the domestic game with how football is conducted in European tournaments.
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"It's clear that this has become more common when set-piece coaches were employed by clubs to get any advantage possible," Clattenburg told United In Focus. "It's something the PGMOL and Premier League need to address, and any blocking on the goalkeeper must be punished by a free-kick.
"Indeed, more fouls will initially be awarded, but once teams realise this tactic won't be tolerated, they'll abandon it. We see this tactic used less in the Champions League as referees punish more!"
Nevertheless, not everyone believes goalkeepers require extra protection from players crowding their penalty area. Former Manchester United and Everton defender John O'Kane thinks teams simply need to be more tactical in defending these scenarios.
"It ain't rocket science," he declared. "Coaches have to start leaving two or three players on the halfway line. "It's something the PGMOL and Premier League need to address, and any blocking on the goalkeeper must be punished by a free-kick.
Mikel Merino scored against Manchester United
Arsenal players crowded around Senne Lammens before Mikel Merino scored (Image: Getty Images)
"Stoke [a nickname being used to describe Arsenal] have found a loophole in s*** housery of obstructing the goalkeeper."
United's players appeared untroubled after their triumph, with Amad even making light of Arsenal's set-piece prowess. Mikel Arteta's side have netted 26 goals from dead-ball situations this campaign.
The Ivory Coast international replied to one supporter saying: "Your only hope is corner," accompanied by a laughing emoji. Nevertheless, Arteta accepted complete accountability for the home defeat to United.
"I take full responsibility [today], they have to take full responsibility for what they've done for seven months, in the manner that they behaved, how much they want it," he stated. "And now, in the process of winning, you have to lose or draw. It's how you react to that.
"Now we have another opportunity, the best place to talk is on the pitch, in three days' time, when we play in the Champions League again.
"And the better the energy is around everybody - around the staff, myself, the players, and especially our supporters, much better. And much better we'll play freely, we'll flow, and we'll continue to win a lot of matches, I'm sure."