Listen, it was an awful performance which led to Mikel Arteta’s side losing 2-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, having been thumped 3-0 at Crystal Palace earlier in the week.
But the Gunners had a goal chalked off following a VAR decision just before half time.
Gabriel Martinelli headed into an empty net following a goal-mouth scramble and the Brazilian passionately celebrated, believing he had made it 1-1.
However, the goal was chalked off – after a four-minute delay by VAR.
And speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day, Gary Lineker has said that it took an ‘eternity’ for the decision to come, but claimed that ultimately Martinelli was right to have his goal removed.
He said on Saturday: “Let’s just clear up the Martinelli goal, the offside decision. It took them an eternity but we think they got the right one in the end because there’s not two players between him and the goal.”
Martinelli, a £6 million signing in 2019, probably did deserve the goal.
If it takes four minutes to chalk it off then it does not qualify as a clear and obvious error – and therefore the goal should stand.
That’s what Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after the game but, then again, these are the rules and although it’s harsh, apparently a right decision was reached in the end.
Ultimately though, it’s on the Gunners.
Brighton are a difficult team, but any outfit with designs on Champions League qualification should be beating them convincingly.
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