Arsenal are back at the top of the Premier League but Mikel Arteta claimed his title challenge could be nullified by two rejected red card decisions in the games against Manchester City and Newcastle.
Arteta’s side are three points clear of second-placed Manchester City after Eberechi Eze’s early strike secured a crucial 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.
But the Gunners boss was left frustrated by the decision not to send off Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope for a foul on Viktor Gyokeres in the 74th minute at the Emirates Stadium.
Pope raced out of his penalty area to clatter Gyokeres and escaped with a yellow card as the Swedish striker went wide on the right flank with no clear view of the goal.
READ ALSO | Nervous Arsenal return to the top as Eze earns a crucial win over Newcastle
With the prospect that goal difference could decide a tight title race, Arteta knew Arsenal would have had a chance of a bigger win if Newcastle had been reduced to 10 men.
Instead, they had to settle for a result that left them just one goal better off than City in the goal difference column.
Arteta was also still nursing a grievance over last weekend’s crucial 2-1 defeat to City, when Abdukodir Khusanov was not sent off after bringing down Kai Havertz.
The Spaniard believes these two decisions could be decisive in settling the title race.
«I don’t know why the Newcastle goalkeeper wasn’t sent off. I’ve seen it 10 times. If you’ve ever watched football, you know it was a red card. These are the margins,» Arteta said.
«I say the reality of the last two games: in crucial moments, when everything is at stake, we need things to come our way. I don’t make excuses.»
«It was a red card today and a red card in Manchester. If they go our way, we are in a different world today.»
Arteta’s tirade underlined the mounting tension at the Emirates as Arsenal chase a first English title since 2004.
City’s 1-0 win over Burnley in midweek had knocked Arsenal out of top spot for the first time since October, collapsing the specter of another title race after the trophy was gifted to Pep Guardiola’s men in 2023 and 2024.
‘Path of Roses’
Arsenal had lost their previous two league games and four of their last six in all competitions.
Once again the team struggled to impose themselves for long periods against Newcastle, but Eze’s brilliant strike from a well-worked short corner was enough to calm the nerves.
«We talk about game one and how important that was. We certainly did our job. When it’s 1-0 it’s always difficult, especially with the quality of players they put in,» Arteta said.
«We tried to score a second goal, but if that doesn’t work, you have to win in other areas.»
City have a game in hand over Arsenal and remain in control of the title race.
But Arsenal can move six points clear if they beat Fulham next weekend, before City are next up in league action against Everton on May 4.
Arteta knows there will be many more twists and turns before Arsenal can finally end their long wait for the title.
«We are where we are. I don’t expect that after 22 years it will be a path of roses and beautiful music around it,» he said.
“It’s so difficult to win the Premier League, it’s so competitive.
«We have to do what’s in our hands. Game one was in our hands. We had to win it and we did that. We wanted a bigger margin, but we couldn’t.»
Arteta faces a nervous wait to find out whether Eze and Havertz will be fit for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid.
«They are muscular issues. We don’t think it is too much. We have to see if they are available for Wednesday,» he said.
Published on April 26, 2026
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/adrian-grenier-then-and-now-043026-501cdff8701a40c8b99e5e2a2a4701d0.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "¿Por qué no aparece Adrian Grenier en «El diablo viste de Prada 2»? Dentro de la vida de su pequeña ciudad después de dejar Hollywood")
