At this point, Michael Owen has spoken.
Following Newcastle United’s victory over Arsenal, our old friend commented on the controversy surrounding Mikel Arteta’s embarrassing remarks following his team’s loss. Then, astonishingly, Arsenal released an official statement (see below) endorsing their manager’s desperate diversionary tactics after his team failed to pose a single real threat to Nick Pope’s goal.
A few of the slavish and indolent journalists and pundits were content to merely reiterate the terrible statements made by Arteta and Arsenal, without highlighting the truly shameful nature of their actions.
While others were willing to criticize Mikel Arteta and Arsenal for their incredibly despicable remarks and accusations.
So Michael Owen, which side of the fence are you on?
Through his own Twitter account, Michael Owen:
“Today’s Newcastle United vs. Arsenal match was fantastic to witness.
“Two elite teams facing off.
The only “embarrassing” and “disgraceful” thing about it, in his words, was Arteta’s actions.
A frequent occurrence that detracts from the game more than a bad choice.
“It’s disappointing to see Arsenal releasing a statement complaining about the officiating quality. It’s particularly poor and lacks class, especially for a club of their stature. Michael Owen, who has received criticism in the past, has summed it up well this time. The real issue here is Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, who come across as the unsavory figures in this dispute, displaying a lack of class.
Arsenal’s official statement on November 5, 2023, reads:
‘Arsenal Football Club firmly supports Mikel Arteta’s comments following the match, addressing the consistent issues with refereeing and VAR errors. We also want to recognize the commendable effort and performance by our players and traveling supporters at St James’ Park.
The Premier League is renowned as the best league globally, featuring outstanding players, coaches, and supporters who all deserve better officiating. It is imperative for PGMOL to address the officiating standard promptly, shifting the focus from retrospective analysis, explanations, and apologies. We endorse the continued work of Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb and are open to collaboration to achieve the world-class officiating standards our league requires.'”
