Arsenal fume over ‘inconsistent’ refereeing calls

By Sam Dean

Arsenal were left fuming at the string of controversial decisions in their match with City after Gabriel Magalhaes was sent off and Pep Guardiola’s side were awarded a penalty.

Arsenal were denied a spot-kick of their own in the first half, when Martin Odegaard went down under a challenge from City goalkeeper Ederson. Referee Stuart Attwell was not advised to check the incident on the pitchside monitor, but did go on to use the monitor before awarding City their penalty in the second half.

“The moment with Odegaard, I think it is a clear penalty but at least a moment for the referee to check [on the monitor],” said Stuivenberg, who stood in for the isolating Mikel Arteta. “It happened in the second half with their penalty which is not really consistent, and then of course the sending off was an important moment after that.”

Aaron Ramsdale, the Arsenal goalkeeper, added: “I don’t know why the referee is told to see one and not the other. It [the monitor] is there for a reason, so go and use it. It is the inconsistency. The whole point is to help the game out. In real time it did not look like a penalty but slow it down on a screen and it is given.”

There was also confusion over Gabriel’s dismissal, as the defender received his first yellow card for a comment he made to the referee following City’s equaliser.

“He made a remark to the referee,” said Stuivenberg. “The other players confirmed that. It was just a normal comment and he was shown a yellow card. He mentioned to me that it was about the first penalty moment, about Odegaard and what happened there. No dirty language was used. It was just a comment.”

Rodri said City showed a “champions personality” and described his late goal as a “massive moment” in their pursuit of another league title.

He admitted that he initially had doubts over whether Granit Xhaka’s challenge on Bernardo Silva was a penalty, but said it was “clear” once he saw it on the pitchside screen.