When asked about Kai Havertz’s handball in Arsenal’s draw with Aston Villa, Mikel Arteta reiterates that it was “clear and obvious.”

Benjamin Bull December 10, 2023

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When asked about his thoughts on the two rulings that denied Arsenal a late goal and a penalty in their 1-0 loss to Aston Villa, Mikel Arteta responded in a cryptic manner, using the term “clear and obvious” twice.

Referee Jared Gillett and the VAR declined to award Arsenal a penalty on minute 47 when Gabriel Jesus was brought down by Douglas Luiz’s challenge in the box, setting off an event-filled second half.

Then, in what was essentially the final kick of the match, Kai Havertz appeared to tie the score at one when he bunched the ball across the line, but referee Gillett instantly called a handball on the midfield player for Arsenal. Havertz seemed to have grazed Havertz’s hand with the ball before poking it into the net, according to replays.

Arteta Speaking in an interview said, “I prefer not to comment,” but acknowledged that the penalty call was “even clearer” than the Havertz handball. In his post-match press conference, Arteta was asked about his reaction to the two incidences and he said, “Clear and obvious.” lucid and evident. That’s my meaning.

“That’s my opinion. That’s all I can say.”

Because of his vocal criticism of the decision to award Anthony Gordon’s winning goal for Newcastle against Arsenal last month, Arteta is already in deep water with the FA.

The Arsenal manager was also serving a touchline ban at Villa Park after picking up his third yellow card of the season away at Luton in midweek

The incidents in question

Gabriel Jesus, who was challenged by Douglas Luiz and went down, requests a penalty.

‘Rubbish rule’ disqualifies Havertz’s goal, says Redknapp.

Speaking about the Havertz goal that was disallowed in an interview, Jamie Redknapp said that Gillett and the VAR officials, who examined the event for several minutes before concurring with the on-field ruling, had made the right call. But he took aim at the handball regulations itself.

The Football Association’s regulations indicate “it is an offence if a player scores immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental.” However, if Eddie Nketiah, who was poised to tap the ball into the net and standing exactly behind Havertz, had scored instead of Havertz, Arsenal’s goal would have remained valid.

Redknapp said: “Unfortunately it’s the rule. It’s a terrible rule that if the ball touches a player’s hand and then a goal occurs after it, it then becomes a handball – which is ridiculous when you think about it.

“It’s a rubbish rule. How can that be handball? It looks like it could hit Matty Cash, it’s just rebounding around.

“Go back to handball, ball to hand. I think that we’re getting ourselves in such a mess with these rules all the time.

“How on earth can that be handball? He’s not meant to do it. It’s a rubbish law.

“It’s the rule at the moment, but if we’re trying to help football and trying to improve it and make it a better spectacle with more goals, then the powers that be have to look at that and go, ‘It’s a rubbish rule’.

“It’s grazed his arm. He’s not meant to do it. If he sticks his arm out and it hits his hand, that would be handball anyway.

“But whoever’s decided to come up with that as the law, I think it’s ridiculous because it’s cost Arsenal a goal.”

Experts: The Jesus event wasn’t a penalty

As for the Luiz tackle on Jesus, Redknapp and Karen Carney felt less pity for Arteta.

Following their collision, Gillett ruled against awarding Arsenal a penalty, and VAR concurred after a brief investigation.

“Arsenal fans will be saying there’s contact but when I first saw it, for me it wasn’t enough,” Carney said oi an Interview

“The threshold wasn’t high enough to give a penalty.

“He does slightly hook his leg but for me it’s not enough, so I don’t think it is a penalty.”

Redknapp added: “We saw one today with Crystal Palace and Liverpool and people are trying to compare that, but I don’t think they’re the same.

“I don’t think that one is a penalty.”

But speaking in my capacity as a co-commentator. According to Jamie Carragher, the penalty ought to have been called.

“I think this is going to be a penalty,” he said, looking at the incident in real-time. “It’s almost identical to the Crystal Palace one against Liverpool [on Saturday].”