The day after the top match between Arsenal and Manchester City (1-2) commotion arose in England about an action by referee Stuart Attwell. After less than an hour of play, the arbiter chose the wrong position in an attack by the gunners and thereby killed a life-size opportunity for Gabriel Martinelli, according to the verdict. The Arsenal attacker shot the ball into the side net, after Nathan Ake managed to get the ball off the goal line just before that with an extreme effort.
With a 1-1 score on the board, Arsenal looked to be taking the lead for the second time after an hour of play, when Aymeric Laporte headed the ball over the outgoing Ederson. Aké, however, rushed after the ball and successfully took it off the goal line by sliding. The rebound was not for Martinelli, who worked the leather in the side net. However, Ian Wright believes the Brazilian is hindered by Attwell in his attempt. The referee started his run behind the Arsenal attacker, but came out in front of him at the moment of the rebound, after which he suddenly stopped.
This also happened just before: ??Aké saved The Citizens (and especially Laporte!) still on the line! And that rebound…??#ZiggoSport #PremierLeague #ARSMCI pic.twitter.com/HCXR7p7la0
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) January 1, 2022
“Can someone explain to me why the referee is trying to get into the penalty area faster than Martinelli?” Arsenal legend Wright asked in frustration on Saturday night. Match of the Day. “He (Attwell, ed.) has to get out of the way. He’s in the way!” Presenter Gary Lineker dismissed Wright’s statements with a joke. “He just makes a better sprint than Martinelli.” It was not the only moment much talked about in England. The home team had to continue with ten men after two yellow cards for Gabriel.
The match between Arsenal and City was stopped twice by VAR. In the first half, Martin Odegaard went to the ground after an alleged foul by Ederson, who slipped his feet towards the ball. Attwell decided not to watch the moment and let play continue. On the other hand, the arbiter did put the ball on the spot when Granit Xhaka assaulted Bernardo Silva. The Arsenal midfielder pulled the Portuguese on the shirt, after which Attwell awarded a penalty. Riyad Mahrez took advantage of this one. To make matters worse, the gunners moments later continued with ten after an indirect red card for Gabriel.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was frustrated at referee Attwell’s inconsistency as he failed to get to the screen on Odegaard’s penalty moment. “My frustration is in the inconsistency of going to the screen,” the Arsenal goalkeeper told BT Sport. “The referee might have ruled it out immediately if he saw it, but he didn’t even look. The foul on Silva was a minor one. He does look at that and gives a penalty. I don’t understand why the referee is one situation looks at it and the other doesn’t.”