Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Arsenal denied 'clear' penalty in Burnley draw, says Arteta

Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Arsenal - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - March 6, 2021 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta Pool via REUTERS/Peter Powell

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left baffled after his side were denied a penalty in Saturday's 1-1 Premier League draw at Burnley.

Arsenal, pushing for a winner after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's opener was cancelled out by Chris Wood, felt they should have had a penalty when the ball struck the arm of Burnley's Erik Pieters in the box after Nicolas Pepe tried to flick it past him.

"I think it's obvious and clear, I think there is no debate about that. If that is not a penalty, then would someone explain what a penalty is in this league," Arteta told reporters after the game.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Arsenal - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - March 6, 2021 Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe shoots at goal Pool via REUTERS/Peter Powell

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka was criticised after his dreadful defensive error led to Burnley's equaliser but Arteta said the Swiss was not to blame.

Xhaka had received the ball from Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno deep in the penalty area, but his attempted pass to David Luiz struck Clarets striker Wood and ricocheted into the net.

"It's what it is, it's the way that we play and the way that I want to play. We just have to know the risk and the rules that we have in certain areas in terms of the type of balls we have to play," Arteta said.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Arsenal - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - March 6, 2021 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after the match Pool via REUTERS/Peter Powell

Xhaka apologised for the gaffe.

"I hold my hands up for their goal and I'm sorry for the mistake. That's football and right now I feel just as frustrated as all of you," he wrote on Instagram.

The result left Arsenal in 10th on 38 points from 27 games, nine points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.

They face Greek side Olympiacos in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.

(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.