For the second game in a row, Mark Clattenburg believes Arsenal’s opponents benefited from an incorrect call that he found ‘disappointing’.
Against Tottenham, Clattenburg said that both Spurs goals should have been disallowed. The first for Eric Dier’s offside while Son should have been booked for diving rather than pick up a penalty.
Against United at Old Trafford, it was another offside call that did not go Arsenal’s way that allowed Ander Herrera to play the ball back to Anthony Martial.
On comms, Steve McManaman said something along the lines of ‘it was so close you can’t expect the linesman to see it’ when that is literally what they are paid to do. It was at a freekick and his one job was to be in line to look for offsides as the ball was played.
“Manchester United’s equaliser should have been disallowed for offside,” Clattenburg wrote in Tuesday’s Daily Mail.
“Ander Herrera’s head was in an offside position when Marcos Rojo struck the free-kick. When the shot was saved, Herrera ran on to the loose ball and pulled it back for Anthony Martial to score.
“With the benefit of VAR, this goal would not have stood but it is still disappointing that Scott Ledger, the assistant referee, got it wrong.
“He is one of the best assistants in England but this was a static situation and there were no defenders blocking his view.”
Keith Hackett, meanwhile, writing in Thursday’s Daily Telegraph, says, “Those who got off lightly included Marouane Fellaini, Alexandre Lacazette and Marcos Rojo. Fellaini was guilty of pulling Matteo Guendouzi by the hair.
“Such an action tends to be more common in overseas football. It normally merits a yellow card for unsporting behaviour, but can on occasion lead to a red for violent conduct.
“Two minutes later Lacazette headed the ball out of David De Gea’s hand and kicked it into the net. The ‘goal’ was rightly ruled out although the Arsenal player could well have been shown a yellow for unsporting behaviour.
“Finally, Rojo was lucky to get away with a yellow for the way he threw himself at a rebounded shot and caught Guendouzi. It was a reckless challenge.”