Arsenal 'baffled' by surprise FA decision which has benefited Chelsea

Arsenal are baffled by a surprise FA decision that has benefited Chelsea, according to a fresh report.

The Gunners extended their lead at the Premier League summit to five points, after comprehensively beating Everton 4-0 at the Emirates.

Bukayo Saka dazzled while Gabriel Martinelli netted a brace as Arsenal dispatched the Toffees to ruthlessly capitalise on their game in hand over title rivals Manchester City.

The victory made in three wins on the bounce for Arsenal and provided another statement regarding their title credentials.

After the game, Arteta said: "I'm really happy. It was the game that we had in hand against an opponent that we knew were going to make life really difficult for us. We experienced that at Goodison.

"We started the game with some frustration, not really understanding what we had to do, allowing them to run in certain transitions, but after 20 or 25 minutes I think we started to get much better and I think the timing of the first two goals was key.”

While things are going well for Arteta’s side on the pitch, off it the Gunners have reportedly been frustrated by an FA ruling that has seemingly benefited Chelsea.

Gunners frustrated by FA ruling

According to the Mail Online, representatives of Arsenal and Everton were left bemused during a recent Premier League meeting over plans for the FA to dilute their work permit rules.

Indeed, the report claims Arsenal and Everton were particularly baffled by the reason Chelsea were allowed to sign David Datro Fofana in January.

When asked why Fofana was awarded a visa on appeal after falling short of the threshold required to gain a visa, clubs were allegedly told it was because Chelsea gave a “good presentation”.

Since Brexit, prospective overseas transfer talents must meet certain criteria under the new Governing Body Endorsement points system before being cleared to play in the UK.

Each foreign player must reach a 15-point target before securing a work permit, which is based on several factors, including the quality of the league they currently play in, how often they have played and international caps.

Fofana signed for Graham Potter’s side from Norwegian giants Molde on January 1, in a deal believed to be worth £10million.

Topics: Football, Transfers, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Mikel Arteta, Premier League, FA

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.