Arteta makes fun of referees in sarcastic dig after win over Burnley

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time for his comments about the Premier League referees following his side’s 3-1 win over Burnley at the Emirates Stadium. The victory comes a week after Arteta and match officials clashed over a VAR decision that had allowed Newcastle United’s goal against the Gunners, resulting in Arteta’s first league loss of the season.

In a post-match interview, Arteta took a sarcastic dig at the referees, saying, “Please ask me about VAR because today it was good. I hope that I’m on TV saying the referees are so good and I’m completely with them and being very constructive.” These comments come after Arteta had expressed frustration with the officiating in previous matches, leading to speculation that he is growing increasingly disillusioned with the standard of refereeing in the Premier League.

Despite the controversy surrounding Arteta’s remarks, Arsenal’s performance on the pitch against Burnley was impressive. It took them until just before half-time to break down their opponents, with Trossard nodding them in front from close range. Burnley fought back in the second half as Brownhill equalized, but Arsenal quickly regained their lead through Saliba and Zinchenko to secure all three points.

The win sees Arsenal sitting comfortably in 2nd position on the Premier League table with 27 points in this 2023/24 campaign. Their next game will be against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday 25th November 2023.

While Arteta’s comments may have raised eyebrows among football fans and pundits alike, there is no denying that Arsenal’s performance on the pitch speaks for itself. Whether or not Arteta’s frustration with VAR and refereeing decisions will continue to be a talking point remains to be seen, but for now, Arsenal can celebrate their return to winning ways in the Premier League.