Arteta hits out: Arsenal boss claims Man City, Newcastle stars escaped 'obvious' red cards

London: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta asserted that both Manchester City and Newcastle United should have seen players dismissed in the club’s two most recent fixtures, remarking that "the world would be different" had officials reached the proper conclusions.

The Gunners established a three-point lead at the summit of the Premier League on Saturday following a narrow 1-0 victory over Newcastle at Emirates Stadium. The decisive goal arrived in the ninth minute courtesy of Eberechi Eze.

Despite the win, Arteta expressed frustration after Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope received only a yellow card for a foul on substitute Viktor Gyökeres with 16 minutes left in the match. A VAR review supported referee Sam Barratt’s initial ruling, much to the manager's chagrin.

Disputed Decisions

The incident follows a similar frustration from the previous week, when Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City. In that contest, Kai Havertz was challenged by Abdukodir Khusanov while the match was tied, but referee Anthony Taylor allowed play to continue.

"I have to say, as well, in my opinion, it is a clear red card," Arteta said regarding the challenge by Pope. "I have watched it 10 times. If you have ever played football, it is a red card. It is the second time in two games because against Manchester City, when Kai Havertz goes through and Khusanov's fouling him at 1-1, the title is there. It is a red card."

Arteta emphasised that such pivotal moments can dictate the outcome of a season. "So these are the margins as well. Hopefully that is going to change," he said. "Everyone will have their opinion, I am here to give my opinion. I'm somebody who has been in the game for the long time. You talk to any of the players because the trajectory, where the ball is, there is no keeper there. If that had happened the other way around, it is a red card."

Addressing the Stakes

The manager dismissed the notion that he was searching for excuses, noting that he refrained from highlighting these grievances following the loss to Manchester City.

"I am saying the reality of the last two games at crucial moments when everything is at stake, we need everything to go our way, and it hasn't," Arteta said. "I am not giving any excuses. I am the first one to understand. I didn't talk about it when we lost the game. I am doing it when we won. It is a red card today. It is a red card in Manchester, and the world is different. That's it."

Injury Concerns

Arsenal faces potential fitness issues ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg against Atlético Madrid. Both Havertz and Eze were forced to leave the pitch on Saturday with physical complaints.

Arteta described the setbacks as "muscular niggles" but noted it was too early to confirm their status for the upcoming European clash. "We don't think it's too much," he added. "We have to wait and see if they're going to be available for Wednesday."