The pressure on match officials in the Premier League, particularly in games involving Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves), has escalated further due to growing discontent over the quality of refereeing and VAR decisions. Wolves have already suffered several perceived injustices this season, costing them potential points. One of the most recent incidents occurred in their defeat to Sheffield United when a controversial injury-time penalty was awarded to the Blades, leading to a match-winning goal.
Wolves experienced a similar incident in their previous match against Newcastle United when a penalty was wrongly awarded but later overturned during a 2-2 draw. Arsenal, who will face Wolves at the Emirates on December 2, also find themselves embroiled in the controversy. They issued a statement expressing frustration with “unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors” following their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle.
In the Arsenal match, Anthony Gordon’s winning goal underwent a lengthy VAR review, involving questions about the ball going out of play, a possible foul on an Arsenal player, and offside. Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, vehemently criticized the decision, calling it a “disgrace” and expressing his frustration with the current state of officiating.
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Following Arteta’s comments, Arsenal released a statement on Sunday, reiterating their dissatisfaction with refereeing and VAR errors. They called for improvements, emphasizing the need for higher officiating standards in the Premier League and expressing support for Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb’s efforts.
As of now, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), responsible for match officiating, has not responded to these concerns. However, Arsenal’s actions and statements are likely to intensify the scrutiny on match officials in upcoming games, including the anticipated clash with Wolves at the Emirates.