February 12, (THEWILL) – Arsenal suffered a disappointing 1-1 home draw against Brentford on Saturday, but it was later revealed that the Gunners were the victims of a significant refereeing error.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed that the equalising goal scored by Brentford’s Ivan Toney should not havje counted, as the assist from Christian Norgaard was offside. Lee Mason, the video referee on duty, was widely criticised for failing to spot Norgaard’s offside position and former English Premier League referee, Keith Hackett, called for Mason to be removed from his position.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, expressed frustration after the match, stating that he was still waiting for an explanation as to why the offside was not disallowed. Despite winning just one point in their last two matches, Arsenal remains six points clear at the top of the EPL table.
However, with Manchester City travelling to face Arsenal in midweek, the error could prove to be significant should the Gunners fail to secure the Premier League title. In the coming weeks, Arsenal face a challenging schedule with games against Aston Villa and Leicester City.
Should the Gunners fail to secure the title, this refereeing error could be looked back upon as a crucial moment in their season. The PGMOL statement may bring some solace to the Gunners, but it does little to change the outcome of the match or the impact it could have on their title hopes.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
