Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta pointed fingers at the match ball as a key factor in his team’s EFL Cup defeat to Newcastle, calling it “very different” from the Premier League ball.
“It flies differently, and the grip is very different,” Arteta claimed, suggesting the unfamiliar ball hindered his team’s performance.
“You have to adapt to that,” he added, emphasizing the challenges his players faced with the EFL Cup ball.
While Newcastle secured the advantage ahead of the second leg, their manager Eddie Howe dismissed any concerns about the ball and instead focused on praising his team’s effort, calling the performance a “big step” forward.
