Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has slammed the use of VAR over a handball claim in the Gunners’ Premier League game against Burnley.
This comes after the Arsenal legend appeared on Saturday night’s Match of the Day, where he claimed the handball appeal on Erik Pieters should have been a penalty for the visitors.
On the topic of the handball appeal, Wright had this to say on the matter.
He said: “Of course they got the [first] one wrong – just as much as they got the [second] one brilliantly right. How is that not a penalty?”
“Well, Kevin Friend has got it wrong, he hasn’t got many friends tonight. That is stopping Pepe from going past him.”
“Mikel Arteta is saying they need to come back down and explain it again [handball law] – it’s ridiculous, that is a penalty!”
Should Arsenal have been awarded the penalty?
Yes
No
The Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s early strike was cancelled out by an equaliser from Chris Wood.
Arteta’s side have fallen further behind in their quest for European qualification this season as the point leaves them eight points behind fifth-placed Everton, having played an extra game.
TIF Thoughts on Wright’s comments on VAR…
Wright believes Arsenal were hard done by in Saturday’s game because of the VAR decision, and it is clear to see why. Whether Pieters deliberately handled the ball or not, the Burnley defender had his arm extended away from his body which prevented the Arsenal attack.
Aubameyang has already scored from the two penalty kicks he has taken in the league this season, so the striker may have fancied his chances against Nick Pope, who hasn’t saved any of the three penalties he has faced during the campaign so far.