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Mikel Arteta appeared to be trying to avoid another charge from the Football Association as the Arsenal manager declined to comment on two controversial decisions in their loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
John McGinn scored in the seventh minute, securing a 1-0 win for the home team. They are now only two points behind the top team and have set a new club record with 15 consecutive wins in the league.
Villa’s previous home defeat was against Arsenal in February, but this time they were the ones who earned the three points at home.
Arsenal wasted a number of gilt-edged chances and saw a strong penalty claim turned down for Douglas Luiz’s challenge on Gabriel Jesus, while Kai Havertz thought he had bundled in a last-minute leveller only for it to be ruled out for handball.
In both instances, referee Jarred Gillett was supported by VAR. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was serving a touchline ban and watching the game from the directors’ box at Villa Park, declined to comment on the decisions. He had already been charged by the FA for his strong criticism of the officiating after a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle last month.
When asked about the two calls, the Spanish person responded: “Clearly and obviously. Clearly and obviously.”
When asked to clarify his statement, he emphasized the two words that were repeated: “Clear and obvious.” He stated, “That’s what I mean. That’s my opinion, and that’s all I can say.”
I believe we were worthy of more than what we received. Our team was clearly superior.
During his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Arteta was questioned about the decisions made and responded by saying that he would rather not comment. He did mention that he holds a strong opinion on the matter.
Arteta was shut down when asking for more information on the matter, but he did express that he believed his team had performed well enough to secure a victory.
He expressed great dissatisfaction with the outcome, particularly regarding our performance.
I believe we deserved a greater outcome than what we received. We were clearly the superior team. I have not witnessed a team perform like we did against Villa since our victory in February.
We were unable to secure a victory because we did not have enough precision in the opposing team’s area to score goals despite creating numerous opportunities.
This was Villa’s second major victory within a span of three days, as they had already defeated reigning champions Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
The previous manager of Arsenal, Unai Emery, chose to use the same starting lineup when the team went to Villa Park, and his choice ultimately proved successful.
“He stated that they were enthusiastic, but I initially considered making some alterations to the starting XI due to fatigue from Wednesday,” he remarked.
Despite the challenge, we spoke with the doctors yesterday and all of the players expressed their desire to play today, assuring us they were feeling well.
“While I was watching the match, I had to be decisive in my player substitutions.”
“I am extremely proud of the matches we have played here. We have emerged victorious in 15 matches, which is a new experience for me.”
“We must find enjoyment while maintaining high standards in our performance. Our efforts are paying off. The only time we were defeated here was by Arsenal, but today we were able to compete against them. Our expectations and skills are rising as we remain consistent, accountable, and mature.”
Source: independent.co.uk
