Mikel Arteta was reportedly left furious by one of the Newcastle coaches during Arsenal’s Premier League clash against the Magpies on Tuesday.
High-flying Gunners were looking to extend their lead at the top of the table over Manchester City to 10 points with a victory over Newcastle.
However, Arteta’s men were unable to unlock the stubborn Magpies defence and were left frustrated as the match ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
During the tense affair, Arteta was left furious by multiple referee decisions that he described as ‘scandalous’ in his post-match interview.
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According to the Chronicle, Arteta was also not happy with Eddie Howe’s assistant, Jason Tindall for the duration of the clash.
The Spaniard was not impressed with how often Tindall was out of the technical area and speaking to the fourth official.
Arteta was also seen having some stern words with Howe in the closing stages of the match, after Arsenal had a penalty claim turned away by referee Andy Madley.
After the match, Arteta said: “They are two penalties, it's very simple.
“I'm talking about what I've seen, now, and it's two scandalous penalties.”
Arteta also expressed that he was proud of how his players performed.
The Gunners boss added: “I'm extremely proud of my players.
“The way we played, the way we dominated the game, the way we tried, the way we continued.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Howe disagreed, he said: “That would have been a travesty for us.
“I didn't think it was a penalty just because of the proximity, but you just never know.”
After a minor slip-up, Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League is currently at eight points. City will cut that lead to five points if they manage to beat Chelsea on Thursday.
For Arsenal, the attention will turn to the FA Cup as they start their campaign next Monday against Oxford United.
Will Arsenal win the Premier League? Let us know in the comments.
Topics: Arsenal, Newcastle United, Football, Premier League, Mikel Arteta, Eddie Howe
Marcus Chan