Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's head coach, in response to his criticism of the referee's decision regarding the Sunderland penalty in the recent match, emphasized that this criticism stemmed from his duty to "defend the club." The penalty was awarded to Sunderland following a clash between Dan Ballard and Azri Konza in the Arsenal penalty area, and Arteta described this decision as "unacceptable."
Arteta's discussions with referees
Arteta stated in the press conference before Arsenal's match against Brighton on Saturday: "I am here to express my opinion and defend my club. It is my duty to provide the best performance for my players." He highlighted the importance of dialogue and discussion regarding refereeing decisions, adding: "We all have a duty to try to improve the game."
Arteta further emphasized that Arsenal has discussed this matter with Pro Ref and stated: "We discussed various topics, and each of them is very important. It is our duty to try to improve the game through discussion and feedback." However, he refrained from disclosing details of this conversation, saying: "This will remain a private conversation."
Arteta's concerns about injuries
Currently, Arteta is hopeful for the return of four injured defenders. Jurrien Timber, Christian Mosquera, and Piero Hincapie were absent in Arsenal's recent Carabao Cup match against Ipswich. Arteta said about this: "Everything is good. We still have one more training session, but I am very optimistic about their condition. They all want to be in the game, and we will use the last training session to ensure their readiness."
Ben White, who left the field in the first half of the match against Sunderland, was also a focus for Arteta. He commented on White's condition: "Everything is good. We have one more training session." Arteta's remarks reflect his concern about the status of his players ahead of the upcoming crucial matches.
