Mikel Arteta expressed frustration over the contentious penalty awarded to Brighton during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw on Saturday night, a decision later clarified by the Premier League in an official statement.
Arsenal had taken the lead through Ethan Nwaneri’s early goal, holding their advantage until the final half-hour when Brighton equalized under controversial circumstances.
The incident occurred as Joao Pedro went down following a minimal clash with William Saliba, who attempted to clear the ball with his head.
After a lengthy review, referee Anthony Taylor awarded the penalty, a decision upheld by VAR. The Premier League later explained why Saliba’s actions led to the penalty, a moment that could prove significant in Arsenal’s title ambitions.
“The referee’s call of penalty for a foul by Saliba on João Pedro was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed there was sufficient contact for a penalty,” a statement published on the Premier League Match Centre’s X account read.
Pedro, who had previously netted the equalizer during their earlier clash at the Emirates, shared his thoughts after the match, expressing his belief that Taylor’s decision was correct.
He said: “I tried to control the ball and then [Saliba] hit me. It’s good that I scored. I always try to be positive with goals and assists.
“I like the feeling [of scoring] and hopefully I’ll score more.”
Arteta disagrees with Taylor call as Ian Wright rants
As expected, Arteta viewed the pivotal moment differently, contending that Saliba should not have been penalized since replays revealed he made slight contact with the ball.
The Gunners boss added: “I’m disappointed because we wanted to win the game. We started the game with good actions and a good goal. We knew it was going to be a challenging game.
“We gave too many balls away in the second half and we’re very disappointed with the penalty.
“I’ve never seen that in my life – and Saliba touches the ball. [It wasn’t one] for me, no.
“We’re playing every three days. I understand how much we want to [win], but in terms of the quality and the consistency and doing the simple things right against a competitive team, we didn’t do enough today.”
Arsenal legend Ian Wright was furious with Taylor’s decision, as the result left the Gunners trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by five points, though Arne Slot’s side still have two games in hand.
Wright told Optus Sport: “I don’t know what to believe anymore. This is ridiculous. We have the worst officials in Europe.
“No way is that a penalty, I’m not having that. I can’t sit with it and I can’t understand it.”
Latest Arsenal news: Gunners pushing for Cunha move / Ferguson deal back on
Arsenal are reportedly making a strong push to secure a deal for Matheus Cunha during the January transfer window, potentially disrupting the plans of their rivals.
Cunha has emerged as one of the Premier League’s standout talents, despite playing for relegation-threatened Wolves, who currently sit 17th in the table. The Brazilian striker has been in exceptional form, contributing 10 goals and four assists in 19 league appearances—accounting for nearly half of Wolves’ 31 goals this season.
Several top clubs have expressed interest in Cunha, with Arsenal reportedly leading the charge. According to Football Insider, the Gunners are “exploring a January move” for the forward and are actively working to finalize the deal.
Additionally, Arsenal are said to be back in contention to sign Brighton & Hove Albion’s rising star Evan Ferguson, though they’ll need to outmaneuver two London rivals to secure his signature.
