Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described the penalty awarded to Sunderland as "unacceptable" following his team's 2-0 victory, which propelled them back to the top of the league standings. The win, secured by goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Bukayo Saka, maintained Arsenal's perfect start to their title defense.
The contentious moment occurred when the score was still level, and referee John Brooks determined that Ezri Konsa had fouled Dan Ballard at a Sunderland corner. Despite a VAR review, the decision stood. However, Sunderland's Enzo Le Fee was unable to convert the penalty, with goalkeeper David Raya making a crucial save.
Following the match, Arteta, who received a booking for leaving his technical area during the game, expressed his strong feelings about the incident. "I'm so upset, it's unacceptable at this level. Unacceptable. This can change the course of the season, the championship," he stated in a post-match interview. "I've seen it 10 times to make sure because I watched it live and I said it's not possible at this level that it can be a penalty, because it is a judo roll, that's what it is, it cannot happen."
Arteta insisted that the decision was not a penalty under any circumstances, in any game or league. He indicated that he intended to speak directly with referee John Brooks to convey his dissatisfaction.
The match remained a tight contest until Guimaraes, a former Newcastle captain, scored the opening goal in the 58th minute. Sunderland registered five shots with an expected goals value of 1.64, but Arsenal's defense ultimately held firm.
"We have unbelievable players with spirit and courage to go again and again," Arteta commented on his team's performance. He also praised Guimaraes for his decisive contribution and personality on the field, as well as Raya for his match-deciding saves. Arteta also acknowledged Sunderland's performance and coaching.