Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, was left baffled by a VAR decision during their match against Everton, reigniting the ongoing debate surrounding the efficiency of the VAR system in the Premier League.
After watching his team break their Goodison Park curse, Arteta voiced his confusion about why VAR ruled out the first goal. He stated, “The first goal should be allowed… It comes off the opponent, I don’t know the reason they’ve done it.”
The controversial decision shed light once again on the implementation of VAR in the league. Arteta expressed bewilderment at the call, arguing that the ball clearly touched an Everton player.
Gabriel intended to play the ball back in his own half, but an Everton player deflected it to Nketiah, initiating the attack that led to Martinelli’s goal.
The ruling was that this deflection was not a ‘deliberate action’ on the part of the Everton player. However, many observers contend that the deflection should indeed be considered a deliberate action, raising questions about the consistency and interpretation of VAR decisions.
Adding to the intrigue was the fact that Stuart Atwell was overseeing the VAR, a figure with a contentious history with Arsenal.
Despite the setback of the disallowed goal, Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory, with Leandro Trossard scoring the decisive goal in the second half.
Trossard’s goal was the result of a collective team effort involving Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, and Bukayo Saka, culminating in a winning shot past Everton’s goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford.
Arteta expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, emphasizing the significance of their win at Goodison Park, a feat Arsenal hadn’t achieved in six years. The victory propelled Arsenal to the fourth spot in the Premier League standings.
The VAR decision regarding Martinelli’s disallowed goal is expected to remain a topic of discussion among fans and pundits, underscoring the ongoing debate surrounding VAR and its impact on critical moments in modern football.
