The Gunners faced their first Premier League defeat of the season on Saturday, succumbing to a 2-0 loss at Bournemouth. The game’s pivotal moment occurred when Arsenal defender William Saliba received a straight red card in the 30th minute. Originally booked with a yellow card by referee Robert Jones, Saliba’s punishment was upgraded to a red card following a review prompted by VAR. This decision ignited debates and claims of bias against Arsenal.
Amid these discussions, Leicester City legend and Match of the Day host, Gary Lineker, dismissed the conspiratorial claims regarding Arsenal’s treatment by referees. Gary Lineker spoke on the Rest Is Football podcast.
Gary Lineker said, “I very much doubt that VAR and the referees all gather together and go ‘we’ve got to make sure Arsenal don’t get any decisions this season’. What I’m trying to say is I think it’s pretty conspiratorial to think it’s a deliberate thing against Arsenal. I don’t think it’s a deliberate thing. I think referees have always subconsciously always favoured the home team, particularly in places where there’s a big atmosphere. It’s just kind of being a human being.”
Arsenal has faced the setback of playing with 10 men in three of their first eight matches this season, leading to a loss of points on each occasion. The controversy around Saliba’s card was further amplified by a similar incident in the Chelsea versus Liverpool match on Sunday. In this match, Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo received only a yellow card for a similar foul on Liverpool’s Diogo Jota, despite seemingly comparable circumstances. The disparity in decision-making highlighted the subjective nature of Saliba’s red card. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his frustration, acknowledging the difficulties these decisions pose to their title ambitions. Although critical of the officiating decisions, he decided against appealing Saliba’s red card. Arteta emphasized the importance of maintaining a full team on the pitch to improve their chances of winning the league. Arsenal’s capability was evident in their 4-2 win over Leicester City on September 28, where they managed to keep 11 players on the field. Following a thrilling contest at the Emirates, Arsenal secured victory with two late goals after Leicester had come back to level the score. Their next encounter with Leicester is set for February 15 at the King Power Stadium.
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