‘I HATE WHAT I SAW’: IAN Wright & Shearer angry at what happened to Arsenal player yesterday
Ian Wright was fuming after Bukayo Saka wasn’t awarded a penalty during Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Leicester City, as he described the call by VAR as ‘absolutely pitful’, as he told Premier League Productions (25/02/23 at 3:55 pm).
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and VAR. It’s been a very rocky relationship of late. And whilst the Premier League leaders secured three points at the King Power Stadium yesterday, it still doesn’t deny that they were on the wrong end of yet another woeful call by those at Stockley Park.
Whilst Leandro Trossard’s curling effort was ruled out after a foul on Danny Ward by Ben White, something which Ian Wright agreed with, he wasn’t best pleased with the Saka decision.
Not only did the former Highbury striker think that VAR made an ‘absolute phenomenal mistake’, but his pundit partner in crime, Alan Shearer, also agreed.
The Premier League’s all-time scorer felt that Harry Souttar, who was the centre-back in the spotlight, brought down Saka, whether it was accidental or not and, as a result, a penalty should have been awarded.
Whilst Shearer was a little calmer in his response to that Saka call, it’s fair to say that Wright was steaming up because the Gunners have been here before against Brentford.
“The thing with that one, when you look at it, you can see that he (White) is definitely impeding him (Ward) for him to be able to jump as he should,” said Wright. “So, I have no problem with that.”
On Saka’s penalty shout, this is what Shearer had to say: “I don’t care if it’s accidental or if he slips. He actually takes Saka down because of that. That ball is coming in, whether it’s towards him or not. But he takes Saka out. It’s a foul. It’s a penalty. It might be accidental, so what?! He’s wiped him out.”
Wright added: “For me, whoever is doing that VAR. This is why it’s ridiculous (the fact that VAR is able to look at it, yet not give it) that he can’t come to the decision that’s a penalty because Saka isn’t even looking at him. He’s tripped up in the penalty area. He has brought an opposing player down.
“What more does he need to see for him to say that’s a penalty?!” added Wright as he raised his voice. “It’s ridiculous these decisions. Absolutely pitful decision that was. Absolute phenomenal mistake.”
ARSENAL OVER THEIR BLIP?
If Arsenal’s recent blip was only losing to Everton, a home draw against Brentford followed by a defeat to Manchester City, then fans of the north London club will take that every day of the week.
Since then, it’s back-to-back wins, including a stunning late win at Aston Villa last week.
When Arteta’s men saw off the Foxes, their closest rivals Manchester City dispatched Bournemouth 4-1 to ensure the gap between the two remains at two points, although, Arsenal can extend that to five when they play their game in hand on Wednesday night against Sean Dyche’s Everton.
