The 2022-23 Premier League title race is firmly in the focus of millions of fans across the globe tomorrow as a young Arsenal side under former Gunners midfielder Mikel Arteta unexpectedly tops the table ahead of holding champions Manchester City, with the pair set to lock horns at the Emirates while being separated by just two points.
What is otherwise a fixture with show-stopping potential, events leading up to the vital clash in north London have already been marred on the back of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against high-flying Brentford that, once again, thrust VAR and PMGOL to the forefront of countless discussions this season.
Arteta and his young side are left reeling after PMGOL chief Howard Webb was forced to contact the club – as well as Brighton after their own incident on the same day on Saturday – to admit that there were “significant errors in the VAR process” due to human error that had cost both clubs points at the weekend.
The man in charge of operating VAR, Lee Mason, did not draw the guidelines for the system to check for offside during Brentford’s equalizer against Arsenal, with Mason once again costing the club points in what has become commonplace for the official dating back to the Arsène Wenger years. But for Arterta, such a critical error is inexcusable in a moment that could go on to deny the club its first Premier League title in nearly 20 years.
“Everybody makes mistakes, but that was something else. I wasn’t having it, the club wasn’t having it.”
Mikel Arteta welcomes PGMOL apology, but lets rip at unacceptable error 👇https://t.co/2o6CvEaYYz
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) February 14, 2023
Discussing the incident during his pre-match press conference earlier today in the run-up to coming to grips once more with former mentor Pep Guardiola, the Spanish tactician did not hold back. “We ended the game with a huge anger and disappointment because that wasn’t a human error, that was not understanding your job and that is not acceptable. That cost Arsenal two points and that’s not going to be restored.”
“This has made the players, the staff, and the fans more stronger to pass this hurdle that has been put on us. I will only be satisfied if they give us the two points back and that will not be the case.”
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