Ref Support UK CEO Martin Cassidy has taken a shot at Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, saying his touchline behavior is the “worst” in the Premier League.
Arsenal fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United in their Premier League Matchday 11 meeting on Saturday (November 4), with Anthony Gordon scoring the winner in the 64th minute.
Gordon’s winning strike at St. James’ Park was a controversial one, as the VAR performed multiple checks to confirm the legitimacy of the goal. The VAR confirmed that the ball had not gone out of play, there were not any fouls in the build-up, and, lastly, there was no offside against the attacking team.
An animated Arteta protested the call on the touchline before calling the match officials “disgraceful” in the post-match press conference. Arsenal have since backed their manager by releasing an official statement, condemning the officiating.
Cassidy Makes Neil Warnock Comparison While Criticizing Arsenal Boss
Ref Support UK Chief Executive Cassidy has taken a shot at Arsenal and Arteta for their response to the VAR call, dubbing the Spanish tactician a “Mercedes version of Neil Warnock.”
He said (via The Mirror):
“This trend of clubs making statements is very embarrassing in my opinion. They would have more credibility if they addressed and made a public statement about the unacceptable behavior of their players or manager.
“Mikel Arteta’s touchline behavior is the worst in the Premier League and his behavior is a large part of the problem in football. He has become a Mercedes version of Neil Warnock.”
Cassidy concluded by adding:
“His behavior and comments, that now appear to be supported by Arsenal as a club, is very worrying for me and the game in general. This statement [by Arsenal], in my opinion, is nothing other than an infantile moan.”
Football Association Chiefs Are Studying Arteta’s Comments About The Referees
According to The Mirror, the Football Association is currently looking into Arteta’s harsh assessment of the officiating in the Newcastle United clash. If found guilty, Arteta could have to pay a hefty fine and even face touchline suspension.
Although Arteta was critical, he did not imply any bias. This means that he did not question the integrity of the officials, only their competence. Suggesting bias would have made it an open-and-shut case for the FA.
While the refereeing community is clearly offended by the former Manchester City assistant manager’s comments, the FA might allow him to walk away scot-free on this occasion.
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