Arsenal is potentially facing a points deduction as the Football Association (FA) charges Mikel Arteta for labeling them a “disgrace” following their decision to allow Newcastle their deserved goal.

The Football Association (FA) is set to introduce stringent penalties in response to Arsenal’s public statement supporting manager Mikel Arteta’s criticism of match officials. The FA, in a move to address increasing disrespect towards referees, confirmed on Thursday that Arteta was charged with a breach of Rule E3.1 for comments deemed insulting, detrimental to the game, and bringing it into disrepute.

Arsenal’s statement, calling for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to urgently address officiating standards in the Premier League, has raised concerns at the FA.

This unconventional show of support has prompted the FA to schedule meetings with league representatives and the managers’ association. The intention is to convey a warning about potential regulatory action against clubs backing managers who openly criticize referees.

The FA is notably troubled by the growing lack of respect towards officials, a trend contributing to a shortage of individuals willing to become referees.

The Arsenal case, viewed as a tipping point, has prompted the FA to draw a line in the sand. The association plans to address this issue by taking regulatory action against clubs that publicly endorse managerial criticism of referees.

While it remains uncertain whether Arsenal will face specific consequences for their statement, the FA is poised to respond strongly to any similar statements in the future, whether from Arsenal or other clubs. This move underscores the FA’s commitment to curbing public criticism of match officials and maintaining the integrity of the sport.

Mikel Arteta, now facing a touchline ban or potentially more severe consequences, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winning goal against Newcastle United, describing it as a ‘disgrace’ and ’embarrassing.’ The controversy surrounding this incident has brought the issue of referee decisions and public criticism to the forefront.

The intricacies of the Arsenal case extend to the PGMOL’s belief that no error occurred in awarding Gordon’s goal.

Even in the latest Match Officials Mic’d Up program, the VAR team struggled to find definitive angles regarding the ball going out of play and potential offside. Despite Arsenal’s discontent, both the VAR and assistant VAR held their ground, asserting that the officials were correct in not disallowing the goal.

In addition to the Gordon incident, Arsenal contested the decision not to send off Bruno Guimaraes, a decision PGMOL chief Howard Webb acknowledged was incorrect.

The Key Match Incidents Panel unanimously ruled that Kai Havertz should have been sent off earlier in the same match.

As the FA weighs the repercussions of Arsenal’s public stance, the broader implications of clubs publicly criticizing referees are at the forefront. The FA’s proposed tough stance aims to preserve the authority of match officials and discourage public statements that undermine their credibility.