Mikel Arteta has had plenty to smile about this season at Arsenal.
The Gunners are sitting at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League groups, and have also made it through to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
They’re favourites in all three competitions, and once their FA Cup campaign starts in January, they’ll be among the main contenders for that title as well.
The Gunners followed up with a 4-1 win over Aston Villa. While Arteta was understandably pleased with the result, former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett took issue with something else from the match.
Keith Hackett says Mikel Arteta should’ve been punished during Arsenal vs Aston Villa
Just about everything Mikel Arteta does, on or off the pitch, gets put under the microscope.
The Arsenal manager has taken his share of criticism over the years, often for things other coaches don’t seem to get called out for.
Arteta’s probably not losing sleep over any of it, but that hasn’t stopped people from weighing in. The latest to do so is former PGMOL chief Hackett.
After watching Arsenal cruise past Aston Villa 4-1, Hackett noted that Arteta was spotted outside his technical area more than once – something considered an ‘offence’ under the rules.
He told Aston Villa News: “I fully appreciate the passion of managers and, at times, the frustration they face when players are failing to act on their instructions.
“The technical area is specifically defined in law that the edge of the area must be at a minimum of one metre from the touchline. Arteta, like many managers, fails to comply with the law and remain inside the designated area whilst the game is in progress.
“A word from the fourth official should be sufficient to stop this transgression in law.
“If after receiving a warning from them he repeats it then a yellow card should be shown.”
Why Mikel Arteta shouldn’t be punished for touchline behaviour
Criticism of Arteta’s conduct on the touchline is nothing new, and it’s likely to continue as long as he remains in charge.
He has always been a passionate presence during matches, often trying to influence his players’ energy and intensity from the sidelines.
While Arteta does step beyond the technical area at times, he rarely interferes with play or disrupts the opposition. There’s no real impact on the game itself.
Unai Emery was also seen outside his technical area during that match, yet there hasn’t been any discussion about it.
This isn’t unique to Arteta either. Many managers do it, and calling for punishments doesn’t seem necessary in these cases.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
