Arsenal legend Ian Wright has come out in strong support of Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta following a contentious VAR decision in their recent match against Newcastle.
The incident has sparked debate among football pundits, including Gary Neville, who has criticised the club’s response to the controversy.
In a match overshadowed by VAR controversy, Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle. Post-match, Arteta launched a scathing critique of the VAR officials, labelling Anthony Gordon‘s winning goal as “embarrassing” and a “disgrace.”
Arsenal later released a statement backing their manager, condemning the refereeing and VAR errors as “unacceptable” and asserting that the Premier League “deserves better.”
Neville, speaking on various platforms, branded Arsenal‘s public statement as “dangerous.” He argued that while managers, coaches, players, pundits, and fans might critique referees, it’s perilous for clubs like Arsenal to openly question sporting integrity.
However, Wright, speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, expressed his satisfaction with Arsenal‘s stance when asked about it by Neville. He applauded not only Arsenal but also Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp for their reactions to VAR decisions.
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Wright argued that Arteta was justified in his criticism and questioned why referees should be immune from critique, especially given the magnitude of their mistakes.
“Yeah, I’m pleased that Jurgen Klopp did too because of the gravity of the mistake.
“I still feel Mikel was well within his rights. I’m happy with them [Arsenal] backing their manager because we’re seeing mistakes on a scale now that, something has to be said.”
Wright’s contention centres around the transparency and accountability of refereeing decisions. He pointed out that referees, now part of the broader football entertainment industry, should be open to scrutiny and criticism, much like other facets of the sport.
“Why shouldn’t the club back him if what Mikel said was fine? Why can’t we critique them?” Wright asked.
“Everybody is complicit with aspects of the way that referees are, they have their own shows, they’re on co-commentary, they’re in it and they’re a part of the entertainment now for the clicks!”
In response to Neville’s comments, Wright highlighted Arsenal‘s responsibility to stand up for their interests, especially when decisions have significant consequences on the game’s outcomes. He emphasised the importance of clubs backing their managers in instances where they believe injustices have occurred.
“My point is that, this is Arsenal Football Club,” replied Neville. “An institution, one of the founding Premier League clubs – they’re partly responsible for the rules that are in place – you can’t just turn on your own, publicly.
“It’s the Premier League referees. The managers can [critique referees], the coaches can, the players can, the fans can, the pundits can, but can the clubs come out – like Arsenal and Liverpool – and question sporting integrity, mention replays and looking at their options? To me that is really dangerous.”
In the build-up to Arsenal‘s Champions League victory over Sevilla, Arteta stood firm on his comments from the weekend.
He emphasised his duty to provide an honest assessment of the game and defend his club and players, stating he would continue to do so with evidence and clarity.