LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Referee, Darren England talks to Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, during the Premier League match between Arsenal a...
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Referee, Darren England talks to Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on December 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal used the meeting to discuss the decision and wider refereeing issues after Dan Ballard was awarded a penalty against Ezri Konsa.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Referee, John Brooks, forces Gabriel of Arsenal off the pitch after receiving medical treatment during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Referee, John Brooks, forces Gabriel of Arsenal off the pitch after receiving medical treatment during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal have held talks with Pro Ref over the penalty awarded to Sunderland last weekend, with the manager saying the purpose of the discussion was not to seek an apology but to establish whether the decision should have been different.
The controversy centred on the penalty awarded after Dan Ballard was judged to have been fouled, even though the incident showed Ballard pulling Ezri Konsa to the floor.
Arteta was furious despite Arsenal going on to win the match.
“I watched it 10 times. It’s a judo roll. It just cannot happen…this should never happen, it’s not fair, and I am sad, very sad, in that sense,” he said after the match.
The decision did not ultimately cost Arsenal because David Raya saved the penalty and Bruno Guimaraes scored two minutes later, putting the Champions on the path to another three points.
Had Sunderland converted, however, the task of securing the win would have been considerably harder.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: David Raya of Arsenal saves a penalty shot from Enzo Le Fee of Sunderland during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: David Raya of Arsenal saves a penalty shot from Enzo Le Fee of Sunderland during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Former referee Mark Halsey also believed the penalty should not have been awarded.
“When you look at an incident, you can clearly see in my opinion, that Ballard committed the first offence,” he said.
“He’s got hold of Konsa’s arm, so he’s pulled him around and they’ve both ended up on the floor. Then it looks like Konsa has tumbled into Ballard. For me, I think that Ballard has committed the first offence and it’s not a penalty.
“I know that they’ve set a high bar now in VAR getting involved but I think that was one where they should have got involved because Ballard committed the first offence.”
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Ezri Konsa of Arsenal breaks up a clash between Gabriel of Arsenal and Daniel Ballard of Sunderland during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Ezri Konsa of Arsenal breaks up a clash between Gabriel of Arsenal and Daniel Ballard of Sunderland during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s game against Brighton on Saturday, Arteta was asked again refereeing.
“I am here to try and give my opinion, defend my club and give the very best to my players,” he said.
“In order to do so, I need to respond in the most direct and fair way. I will make mistakes sometimes but I will try and be as fair as possible.
“We have a space to talk and give our opinions. It’s everybody’s duty to try and improve the game.”
Arteta then confirmed that Arsenal had met with Pro Ref, formerly PGMOL.
“We discuss many topics and all of them are very important,” said Arteta. “To talk, to give their opinions, and [it is] everyone’s duty to try and improve the game.
“It is a conversation that will remain private.”
Asked whether Arsenal had received (yet) another apology from Pro Ref, Arteta did not say that they had.
“It is not about an apology,” said Arteta. “It is about agreeing that the decision should be different or not.”
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Bruno Guimaraes of Arsenal scores his team’s first goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Bruno Guimaraes of Arsenal scores his team’s first goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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