ARTETA RUES RED CARD CALLS DESPITE ARSENAL RETURN TO TOP.

Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle
United, but manager Mikel Arteta warned key refereeing decisions could derail their
title charge.
Eberechi Eze’s early strike proved decisive at the Emirates, yet controversy followed
when Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope avoided a red card after fouling Viktor
Gyökeres outside the area.
Arteta was left frustrated, believing the decision denied his side the chance to secure
a bigger win in what could be a tight title race.
“I don’t know why the Newcastle keeper wasn’t sent off. I have seen it 10 times. If
you have ever watched football, you know it was a red card. These are the margins,”
he said.
The Spaniard also pointed to a similar incident in the recent defeat to Manchester
City, adding: “It was a red card today and a red card in Manchester. If they go our
way, we are in a different world today.”
Despite the complaints, Arteta acknowledged the importance of the win, saying, “We
had to win it, and we have done it. We wanted a bigger margin, but we were not able
to.”
Arsenal now lead City by three points, although their rivals have a game in hand,
keeping the title race finely balanced heading into the final weeks.