Gary Neville blames Mikel Arteta for how Arsenal fans see officials

Just Arsenal News

·30 janvier 2025

Gary Neville blames Mikel Arteta for how Arsenal fans see officials

Gary Neville has suggested that Mikel Arteta is influencing Arsenal fans to turn against match officials and complain about decisions that go against the team. The former Manchester United defender believes that Arteta’s outspoken criticism of referees has contributed to a growing wave of discontent among the Arsenal fanbase.

Controversy has been a recurring theme in Arsenal’s matches this season, with inconsistent officiating often taking centre stage. The Gunners have found themselves at the receiving end of several questionable decisions in recent months, leading to frustration both on and off the pitch. Arsenal players and supporters alike have frequently voiced their dissatisfaction, arguing that their team is unfairly treated compared to others in the Premier League.

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One of the most recent incidents involved the red card shown to Myles Lewis-Skelly during Arsenal’s match against Wolves. The decision caused an uproar among Gunners fans and was later overturned, further fuelling arguments about the inconsistency of officiating in the league. Arteta was vocal in his criticism of the decision, describing it as yet another example of unfair treatment towards his team.

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Neville, however, believes Arteta’s leadership in these complaints is influencing the Arsenal fanbase to adopt a more adversarial stance towards referees. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said:

“Now you have a sway of Arsenal’s anger, which comes from the players and from Mikel Arteta, and prominent fans. You now have a social media wave now which goes towards [allegations of] corruption and cheating. In our day, we couldn’t have that much influence – everyone was at home without a phone, and didn’t have Twitter.”

While Neville raises concerns about the growing tension between Arsenal fans and match officials, it is worth noting that he himself has been critical of referees when decisions go against Manchester United. His comments may seem hypocritical to some, as fans of all clubs are known to voice frustrations when controversial calls affect their teams.

Ultimately, the debate highlights the ongoing scrutiny of referees and VAR in the Premier League, with Arsenal often at the heart of the conversation. Whether Arteta is fuelling the criticism or simply responding to perceived injustices remains a matter of perspective.

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