Arsenal are preparing to demand answers from the refereeing organisation Pro Ref after a disputed penalty decision in their Premier League clash with Sunderland. Regardless of this incident, the Gunners emerged victorious with a score of 2-0.
The chief official John Brooks awarded a penalty after a tussle between Ezri Konsa and Dan Ballard in Arsenal's box, ruling that the London defender had unfairly held his opponent. VAR reviewed the incident but upheld the initial decision.
In the aftermath, Mikel Arteta sharply criticised the officiating:
I’ve watched that moment 20 times and I can’t understand how you can award a penalty in that situation, or why VAR should have intervened.
It’s a shame that after such a brilliant match we have to discuss things like this. At this level, such decisions have a massive impact, as they can change the course of the season and cost you the championship.
The official Premier League Match Centre provided clarification on the matter:
The referee’s decision to award a penalty to Sunderland for the hold by Konsa on Ballard was reviewed and confirmed by VAR.
Now, Arsenal aim to get in touch with Pro Ref for a more detailed explanation regarding the interpretation of the incident.
