Craig Burley launches astonishing attack on Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta over VAR controversy

Arsenal managed Mikel Arteta is a 'hypocrite', according to football pundit and former Scotland midfielder Craig Burley.

The Gunners went five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with two matches to play.

Man City have a game in hand but Arsenal are so close to a first title since 2004 they can taste it.

There will be no bitter aftertaste for Arsenal fans should their team go on and become champions but manager Mikel Arteta is hardly beloved beyond the walls of the Emirates Stadium.

Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal's winning goal against West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday but the aftermath has been dominated by West Ham's disallowed equaliser.

A lengthy VAR review led to Callum Wilson's strike being ruled out, with Darren England and match referee Chris Kavanagh concurring that Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had been fouled by Pablo as the Hammers' corner was taken.

Fans and pundits were quick to point out the many other fouls taking place in the Arsenal penalty area at the same.

Burley joined those voices and was characteristically forthright in his condemnation of Arteta.

"[Arteta] is, along with many others, one of the biggest hypocrites in modern day football," said Burley in his regular slot on ESPN.

"Had that been an Arsenal player with the arm across the goalkeeper – which I think is a foul – had that been against him, he would have pointed out all the other fouls that were going on apart from that one, i.e. he never talks about the holding from Declan Rice and what Trossard and others were doing.

"But it's fallen in his lap today and when it falls in his lap he place the Mr Nice Guy."

The post-match discussion was undoubtedly twisted around club allegiances because that's how club allegiances work.

Football's great grappling debate

The response to West Ham's disallowed goal has been dominated by the scourge of holding, grappling, blocking and fouling in the penalty area.

Arsenal represent a rich seam of debate because of the perceived hypocrisy but football as a whole is riddled with dead ball jostling.

Goalkeepers are crowded and runners blocked by players with no interest in the ball.

Few fans enjoy watching every corner taking 90 seconds while referees try in vain to put a stop to endless fouls.

There's no obvious solution but it's a problem that's never been more in the spotlight and they're all at it.