Arsenal have issued a statement offering their full support to Mikel Arteta after the manager left no doubt about what he thought of the officiating during Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

Arsenal Football Club wholeheartedly supports Mikel Arteta’s post-match comments after yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors on Saturday evening.

“We’d also like to acknowledge the huge effort and performance from our players and travelling supporters at St James’ Park.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world with the best players, coaches, and supporters, all of whom deserve better. PGMOL urgently needs to address the standard of officiating and focus on action which moves us all on from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations, and apologies.

“We support the ongoing efforts of Chief Refereeing Officer, Howard Webb, and would welcome working together to achieve the world-class officiating standards our league demands.”

Arteta launched a scathing attack on the standard of refereeing following the loss on Saturday evening. Arteta was incensed by several VAR decisions which were incorrect, including a contentious goal by Anthony Gordon.

Despite the goal being reviewed for the ball going out of play, a foul on an Arsenal player, and offside, the goal was allowed to stand. The Arsenal boss did not mince words in his post-match comments, branding the situation as “unacceptable” and “an absolute disgrace.”

During the press conference, Arteta’s frustration was palpable as he questioned the validation of Newcastle’s goal, stressing the significance of the stakes involved in Premier League competition. He suggested that the game’s refereeing was not representative of what is expected in the so-called ‘best league in the world’.

Arteta concluded by emphasising the difficulty of the league and how detrimental such decisions can be, stating the importance of not being at the mercy of questionable officiating.

Former referee says ‘world are laughing at us’ after VAR decisions in Arsenal defeat