Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, claimed that the referees were “changing the rules” and that Brentford’s goal against the Premier League’s top team on Saturday should have been rejected for offside.
Ivan Toney’s contentious header at the Emirates Stadium negated Leandro Trossard’s first Arsenal goal, leaving Arteta furious.
As the title fight intensifies, the Gunners are now six points ahead of second-placed Manchester City after last week’s defeat at struggling Everton.
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Before the champions go to Arsenal on Wednesday for a pivotal matchup, City play Aston Villa on Sunday.
Arteta was clearly displeased by Toney’s questionable equalizer since he was aware of the building pressure on his squad, which had just just suffered an FA Cup defeat to City.
Despite a lengthy VAR investigation into a possible offside against Ethan Pinnock, the goal was upheld.
“I just looked back and it is offside, yes,” Arteta said.
“The action when you get blocked when you are offside. You cannot block if you are offside.
“I’m hoping the cameras and the visuals, maybe it looks like there were two actions.
“I don’t know. It’s too late, it’s fine, the goal was allowed and we dropped two points.
“I’m saying the second one (an offside call against Christian Norgaard) – I don’t know because you have to see the line the way they see it with the cameras. I don’t know. It’s irrelevant. It’s gone.”
Arteta wants to talk to Premier League executives about a possible turning point in Arsenal’s quest to win the championship for the first time since 2004.
“We always assess the game with them (the Premier League) and we give our views and our points. But it’s too late,” Arteta said.
“They will probably give an explanation later in the week. Today we haven’t got one.
“You have to apply certain principles in defending and you do that by sticking to the rules, suddenly you change the rules and then you have to change your principles.
“So tell us before so then you don’t hide the line that high, because you’re always going to have an advantage if you get blocked.”