In the era of VAR (Video Assistant Referee), Arsenal Football Club has been no stranger to controversial decisions that have left fans and even managers fuming.
These contentious moments have had a significant impact on the outcomes of matches and, in some cases, even led to heated debates about the state of officiating in the Premier League.
Let’s delve into the top 5 most controversial decisions that went against Arsenal in the VAR era.
READ ALSO: Impact of VAR on football: For better or worse?
Anthony Gordon’s Goal – Newcastle (A), Nov 2023
One of the most recent and glaring instances of Arsenal’s frustration with VAR came in their away match against Newcastle in November 2023. Arsenal was seeking to maintain their unbeaten run in the 2023-24 campaign, but this encounter was marred by a series of controversial incidents.
In the midst of a tightly contested game, Bruno Guimaraes was involved in a forearm smash on Jorginho that many believed warranted a red card. Similarly, Kai Havertz’s challenge on Sean Longstaff was deemed reckless, but he escaped with a yellow card.
However, the most contentious moment of the match was Anthony Gordon’s match-winning header.
Despite three separate VAR checks and a prolonged delay, the video assistant referees ultimately decided that there was insufficient cause to disallow the goal.
This decision left Arsenal aggrieved and added fuel to their frustration with officiating.
No Red Card for Mateo Kovacic – Man City (H), Oct 2023
In the Premier League, encounters with a strong team like Manchester City are always crucial, and when a controversial decision affects the outcome, it stirs up quite a controversy. In this particular match, Arsenal secured a late deflected winner courtesy of Gabriel Martinelli, marking their first Premier League victory over Man City since 2015.
However, earlier in the game, Mateo Kovacic found himself in a contentious situation. A late challenge on Martin Odegaard could have seen him sent off, but VAR only deemed it worthy of a yellow card.
While Arsenal ultimately won the match, this incident did not go unnoticed by the club, and it found its way into their complaint to the PGMOL.
Ivan Toney’s Goal – Brentford (H), Feb 2023
A frustrating draw with Brentford in February 2023 left Arsenal fans and management seething. The team had been leading the league and was eager to maintain their momentum, but the match against Brentford took an unexpected turn.
Arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 draw, and PGMOL later issued an apology for the controversial VAR decision that allowed Ivan Toney’s equalizer to stand.
The VAR official failed to draw the correct lines when assessing whether Christian Norgaard, the assister, was offside.
Disallowed Gabriel Martinelli Goal – Man Utd (A), Sept 2022
The 2022-23 season started on a promising note for Arsenal, winning their first five league outings. However, their visit to Old Trafford in September 2022 ended in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United, partly due to a controversial VAR decision that played a significant role.
Early in the match, Gabriel Martinelli appeared to open the scoring for Arsenal, but the goal was chalked off due to a supposed foul by Martin Odegaard on Christian Eriksen in the build-up. This disallowed goal could have changed the outcome of the game, and it left Arsenal and their fans aggrieved, adding to their list of VAR-related grievances.
Red Card and Penalty – Wolves (A), February 2021
In February 2021, Arsenal’s trip to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers turned into a nightmarish ordeal. They not only suffered a 2-1 defeat but were also reduced to nine men, as first David Luiz and then Bernd Leno were sent off.
The red card handed to Bernd Leno was met with few complaints, but it was the decision regarding David Luiz that sparked considerable debate. Craig Pawson dismissed the Brazilian defender for a last-man challenge on Willian Jose, but many questioned whether he had actually made any challenge for the ball.
The degree of contact added to the contention, and VAR official Jonathan Moss didn’t believe any error had been made.
Conclusion
These five incidents represent just a fraction of the controversial decisions that have gone against Arsenal in the VAR era.
The club and its supporters have often been left frustrated and seeking answers from the match officials and VAR system.
While the technology was introduced to improve the accuracy of refereeing decisions, it has also brought its fair share of controversies and debates to the beautiful game
