MIKEL ARTETA FACES REFEREE STORM: GILLETT APPOINTED FOR ARSENAL CLASH AFTER NEWCASTLE FURY
Arsenal clash with Fulham as Jarred Gillett is appointed referee despite Mikel Arteta's recent fury over his Newcastle VAR decisions.
Mikel Arteta didn’t hide his frustration when Nick Pope avoided a red card for tripping Viktor Gyokeres in Arsenal’s Premier League win over Newcastle.
Now, Jarred Gillett, who angered Arteta that day, is set to referee Arsenal’s game against Fulham this weekend. Gillett worked as VAR during the Newcastle match and chose not to step in when on-field referee Sam Barrott only handed Pope a yellow for taking down Gyokeres.
The incident happened in the 74th minute. Pope rushed out to clear a loose ball, slipped, and ended up blocking Gyokeres, who seemed to have gotten past the last defender. Barrott decided a yellow was enough, saying Pope hadn’t denied a clear scoring chance. VAR confirmed it, with Gillett agreeing that Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw was close enough to cover.
Arteta clearly saw things differently. He’s dealt with decisions from this group of officials eight times this season, and he’s running out of patience.
“To me, that’s a clear red card,” Arteta said after the match. “I’ve watched it ten times. If you’ve played football, you know that’s a red. And it’s the second time in two games this has happened to us. Against Man City, Kai Havertz gets brought down when we’re one-on-one, the title on the line, a red card, simple as that. These moments decide things. Today it’s red, but not in Manchester, not in the world. What can you do?”
Arteta didn’t have many backing him up. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher felt yellow was right.
“I thought yellow. Gyokeres isn’t moving towards the goal, he’s not actually got the ball, and there’s a defender nearby,” Gallagher said. “I don’t think Gyokeres would’ve reached the ball since he stopped. Thiaw is there and would’ve gotten it.”
Even ex-Arsenal striker Jay Bothroyd agreed: no red card in his eyes. He pointed out that Gyokeres might have stepped on Pope’s boot, and Thiaw was fast enough to cover.
“There’s an angle where you see Gyokeres step on Pope, and that’s why he goes down. Thiaw is right there, close enough to get to the ball. It’s not a clear goal chance. If Gyokeres gets there, maybe something happens, but Thiaw is quick and could definitely intervene. Pope got in his way but didn’t knock him over.”
So, Arteta stands pretty much alone, frustrated but outvoted.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
