CHEEKY Gary Neville came up with the perfect response to Arsenal fans calling for him to be banned from the Emirates.
Both the Gunners and their boss Mikel Arteta were incensed after they were on the end of several much-disputed decisions during their 1-0 loss to Newcastle on Saturday.
Arteta felt Anthony Gordon’s goal should not have stood after questions were raised about the ball going out of play in the build up to the goal.
A number of replays were assessed at Stockley Park as VAR refs checked whether the ball had gone out before Joe Willock regained possession.
It did appear to cross the touchline before it was crossed back into the North Londoners’ penalty area ahead of the goal.
VAR deemed there was no clear angle to show whether or not the ball went out before Willock’s cross and gave the on-field referee’s decision the green light.
A potential offside and a foul on Gabriel Magalhaes by Joelinton were also looked at but, after a check of four minutes and six seconds, the goal was given.
Arteta described VAR as an “absolute disgrace” afterwards while claiming to be “ashamed” at the standard of Premier League officiating – before his club released a defiant statement backing his brutal blast while calling on referees to up their game on Sunday.
Sky Sports pundit Neville, a former Manchester United star, and his colleague Jamie Carragher were then both critical over the club’s statement, with the former stating that it should have been done in private.
He wrote on social media: “Arsenal’s letter and even the Liverpool statement a few weeks ago (they had a genuine bad one v them) are wrong. Do it privately.
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
“If I was Howard Webb I would stop apologising to them and get on with it. Managers and players make far more mistakes than refs!”
However, one angry Arsenal fan was fuming at the pair’s assessment and responded: “Arsenal should just tell Sky Sports that both Carragher & Neville are both banned from The Emirates.
“It’s our property so we’ll invite who we want inside it thank you very much.”
But Neville clearly saw the funny side and took the opportunity to poke fun at the fact Arsenal’s North London neighbours Tottenham are currently two points ahead of them in second in the table.
He replied: “To be fair with Spurs top now we will be coming less anyway.”
Tottenham could return to top spot if they win at home to Chelsea on Monday, which would move them two points clear of Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s first league defeat of the campaign left them in fourth.
ARSENAL TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: Stay up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours from the Emirates
