Gary Neville says Arsenal's club statement is 'wrong' and should have been 'done privately'

Gary Neville believes Arsenal's decision to release a club statement following Saturday's controversial defeat to Newcastle is "wrong" and should have been done privately.

The Gunners fell to a first Premier League defeat of the 2023/24 season on Saturday after Anthony Gordon's second-half winner was given following a four-minute, triple VAR check.

It was eventually deemed there was no clear angle to show whether or not the ball went out before Joe Willock's cross to Joelinton, who headed it down to Gordon – and the goal was given.

After the full time whistle, a furious Mikel Arteta lambasted VAR in his post-match interview with Sky Sports.

"How the hell does this goal stand? It's absolutely incredible," the Spaniard said. "I feel embarrassed. It's an absolute disgrace that this goal is allowed. An absolute disgrace. It is not a goal, for many reasons, for more than one at least.

"It's embarrassing what happened - how this goal stands, in the Premier League - this league we say is the best in the world."

He would continue to make a stand in his post-match press conference, where he was quizzed on the PGMOL.

Arsenal have since supported their manager's post-match comments in a statement on their club website, where they criticised "yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors".

It added: "The Premier League is the best league in the world with the best players, coaches and supporters, all of whom deserve better.

"PGMOL urgently needs to address the standard of officiating and focus on action which moves us all on from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations and apologies."

Soon after the statement was published, former Manchester United defender-turned-pundit Gary Neville made his feelings clear on the matter.

"I played for a club where a manager went mad after games if we felt a decision had gone against us," Neville wrote on X.

"You feel like it’s us against the world. I get it. Everyone hates us, the refs are out to stitch us up and theirs bias v us. However I can never remember the club writing letters undermining the system and the whole refereeing community.

"When I look back now I don’t think as players we always covered ourselves in glory with refs and also at a big club we all feel entitled and you have to leave and retire to be able to see that.

"Arsenal’s letter and even the Liverpool statement a few weeks ago (they had a genuine bad one v them) are wrong. Do it privately.

"If I was Howard Webb I would stop apologising to them and get on with it. Managers and players make far more mistakes than refs!"

As you can see from the clip above, fellow Sky pundit Jamie Carragher also reacted, saying: "That Arsenal statement & complaints from their manager about the officials & VAR, on the Newcastle goal, is way over the top!"

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