Arteta Slams “Unacceptable” Penalty Decision Against Arsenal: “It Was Like a Judo Throw

The incident occurred during the fourth week of the Premier League season as Arsenal visited Sunderland. Despite a dramatic first-half penalty save by goalkeeper David Raya, Arteta voiced profound concern over the officiating during his post-match press appearances, arguing that technological safeguards failed to protect the integrity of the match.

The Disputed Penalty and Raya’s Crucial Save

According to match reports from outlets including 163.com and Sohu.com, the controversy unfolded when match referee John Brooks whistled for a penalty after Ezri Konsa tangled with Dan Ballard inside the Arsenal penalty area. VAR officials reviewed the sequence and confirmed the spot-kick.

The decision prompted immediate protest from the Arsenal bench, with Arteta receiving a yellow card for his touchline reactions. Midfielder Enzo Le Fée stepped up to take the penalty for Sunderland, but Raya guessed correctly and palmed the effort away to keep the score level at 0-0.

Reflecting on the pivotal stop, Raya told reporters that the moment swung the momentum in a difficult away environment. “At 0-0 away from home, that is a crucial moment,” Raya said, as reported by 163.com and Sohu.com. “The opponent had the momentum, and that save gave the whole team the confidence to keep fighting and win the match. Even if the penalty had gone in, we still believed in ourselves, but the save helped us keep a clean sheet, which is hugely significant.”

Just two minutes after Raya denied the penalty, substitute Bruno Guimarães broke the deadlock with a spectacular long-range strike, before Bukayo Saka sealed the 2-0 victory with a penalty in stoppage time to send Arsenal to the top of the league table with four straight wins.

Arteta Slams Officiating Standards

Despite securing the three points, Arteta remained visibly upset when speaking to TNT Sports and during the Match of the Day broadcast. The Arsenal manager revealed he reviewed the incident repeatedly before addressing the media.

“The result could have been completely different, and this decision could have changed the course of the whole game,” Arteta said, according to the post-match coverage. “To have this happen at this level of the league is unacceptable. I watched the video ten times. Live, I felt it wasn’t a penalty; it looked more like a judo-style takedown. With my 27 or 28 years in football, in any league and any scenario, that should never be a penalty. On one hand, I’m glad we saved it, but on the other, I have deep concerns.”

Arteta expanded on his frustration regarding the use of video assistance technology, pointing to the multiple camera angles available to officials. “My opponent executed a judo throw, and Konsa did almost nothing,” Arteta said. “We have multi-angle cameras and VAR, and technology is supposed to protect the game. The game was not protected today. This could have ruined our victory and our momentum; the situation is very serious.”

The Arsenal boss emphasized that his complaints extended beyond his own club’s immediate fortunes. “I am proud of Raya’s save and the team’s fightback in adversity, but this situation should never have happened, and it’s unfair,” Arteta said. “I’m making it clear: this isn’t just about Arsenal, it’s for the good of football. We shouldn’t be talking about a brilliant goalkeeper save; we should be talking about what happened before the penalty.”

Sunderland manager Le Bris largely avoided the controversy when asked by reporters, stating simply, “To be honest, I didn’t clearly see that duel.”

Next Steps for Arsenal

With four wins from four matches, Arsenal sits at the summit of the Premier League standings. The team will return to training ahead of their next fixture as the early-season schedule intensifies.