Premier League

ANGRY Mikel Arteta is demanding answers from the Premier League after leaders Arsenal were denied two crucial points by a disputed Brentford equaliser.The Gunners boss was adamant that there were two offside incidents in the build-up to Ivan Toney’s 74th-minute header.
Ivan Toney denied Arsenal all three points against BrentfordCredit: Reuters
Mikel Arteta claimed Toney’s leveller shouldn’t have stood as Brentford No5 Ethan Pinnock was blocking Gabriel Magalhaes while in an offside positionCredit: TWITTER
Gunners fans believed Christian Norgaard was also offside in a later phase of playCredit: TWITTER
Arteta declared after the game that the goal shouldn’t have stoodCredit: Reuters
And the fact it was Lee Mason on VAR duty has infuriated Arsenal fans who fear their team’s lead at the top could be cut to three points by Manchester City on Sunday.
Mason, who retired from refereeing to become a full-time VAR in 2021, was briefly relieved of his duties by the Premier League earlier this season following two decisions which were ruled to be incorrect by a review panel.
The first was to rule out a Newcastle winner against Crystal Palace in September and the following day he also wrongly disallowed a Gabriel Martinelli goal for Arsenal at Manchester United.
Arteta was adamant that Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock blocked Gabriel Magalhaes from an offside position and that Christian Norgaard was also offside when he crossed for Toney.
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He said: “I’ve looked back at the goal and it was offside. They haven’t explained why it wasn’t ruled out and we’ll be giving our views to the Premier League.
“You have to apply certain principles in defending set-pieces and you do that by sticking to the rules.
“But apparently they were not applied and if you suddenly change those rules you tell us before the game so you don’t defend with the line so high.
“We apply what the referee tells us every single week before the game – that if the  blockers are offside then it will be ruled out.
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“I also think their player was offside when he crossed the ball. I was hoping that the cameras and visuals would pick that up because it looks like there were two actions.
“But it’s too late and now we’ve dropped two points.”
Even Brentford boss Thomas Frank admitted: “I agree that when we took the free-kick, Pinnock is an offside position.
“Then, as far as I understand the football laws, the next question is did he influence the cross?
“VAR decided it was not enough to rule out the goal and I agree.
“But every week there are VAR decisions that go marginally one way or the other.”
Goal-scorer Toney said: “I saw Christian Norgaard was onside but I don’t know about Ethan Pinnock.
“They said it was further on and VAR gets messy. I was just hoping it was going to be allowed and it was.”
Arsenal fans argued that Norgaard was offside as he hooked the ball across the face of goal for Toney to head home.
One even went as far as suggesting that the Gunners should demand the game be replayed.
They wrote on Twitter: “@Arsenal needs to appeal and request a replay. When the title is so close, Brentford players were offside twice!”
Meanwhile, other fans were left raging by the fact the goal stood.
One wrote: “Ridiculous. Norgaard looked offside.”
A second said: “How isn’t that Norgaard offside FFS.”
And another aggrieved account fumed: “Blatant offside for Brentford’s goal but yeah no surprise every decision goes against Arsenal.”
If second-placed Man City beat Aston Villa, they will have the chance to knock Arsenal off the table with victory at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
Yet Arteta insisted: “I think it was a really strong performance from my players. I’m delighted with how the boys tried and how much they wanted the win.
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“We discussed today about not giving Brentford any set-pieces because that is their biggest strength.
“We controlled them quite well but unfortunately they scored from an offside position and that has cost us points.”
Arsenal are now winless in their last three games in all competitionsCredit: Reuters More

A SOUTHAMPTON fan was kicked out of St Mary’s by security on Saturday.That’s after waving a giant P45 cutout at Nathan Jones during the dismal defeat to Wolves.
Pressure is piling onto Southampton boss Nathan JonesCredit: Rex
One fan tried to take matters into his own hands by bringing a P45 cutout for JonesCredit: Rex
But the fan was escorted outCredit: Rex
A zoomed-in photo shows the details were already filled in for JonesCredit: MatchDay Images Limited
Saints started their home game well by taking a 24th-minute lead through Carlos Alcaraz.
And supporters began to anticipate a win when new Wolves signing Mario Lemina was sent off moments later.
But Southampton threw their lead away in the final 18 minutes when Jan Bednarek netted an own-goal.
Joao Gomes then nabbed a winner for Wolves at the death to condemn Saints to a third straight defeat.
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And beleaguered boss Jones watched on in dismay as boos rang out around the ground.
But it was all too much to take for one disgruntled fan.
As others around sang “You’re getting sacked in the morning”, the supporter brandished a giant mock-up of a P45 envelope before waving it in Jones’ direction.
However, security quickly stepped in and attempted to take the cut-out before kicking the fan out of St Mary’s.
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But other supporters weren’t happy and proceeded to loudly jeer Jones at the final whistle.
The ex-Luton boss’ future now looks bleak as Saints struggle for Premier League survival.
And when asked about his job in the tunnel, Jones simply responded: “I have no idea really.”
The tactician only took over at Southampton in November following Ralph Hasenhuttl’s exit.
But a string of poor results have now left Jones’ position in serious doubt. More

WILLIAM SALIBA’S poor display against Brentford saw the Arsenal defender set an unwanted Premier League record.The Frenchman, 21, failed to win any of his 10 aerial duels against the Bees on Saturday afternoon as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Emirates.
William Saliba found it incredibly tough against Brentford striker Ivan ToneyCredit: Reuters
The stats show just how difficult Saliba’s afternoon was at the Emirates
According to WhoScored, that is the most aerial duels a player has contested without winning one in a Premier League match this season.
And it typified a difficult day for the Gunners centre-back.
The statistics show Saliba was well off the pace in many areas as Arsenal were frustrated by Thomas Frank’s superb Brentford side.
The defender lost 13 of his 14 duels during the match as Ivan Toney manhandled him for much of the game.
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He also failed to make a single tackle and was dispossessed on one occasion.
But it was the woeful aerial duels record that left him open to criticism from football fans.
Reacting on social media, one person said: “Toney is such a bully. Completely embarrassed Saliba every time they had a duel today.”
Another added: “Saliba and Gabriel need to start winning some duels and Arsenal will be fine. They’re losing everything at the moment.”
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While a raging Arsenal fan said: “Saliba was f***ing garbage again.”
Arsenal’s draw with Brentford means they have picked up just one point from their last two games following the defeat to Everton.
And it means a win for Manchester City at home to Aston Villa on Sunday would move them to within three points of the league leaders.
Arsenal host Pep Guardiola’s side in a mouth-watering clash at the Emirates on Wednesday evening. More

ROBERT SANCHEZ’S howler handed Crystal Palace a point and continued Brighton’s long run without a win over their rivals.The Seagulls keeper dropped a clanger when letting Michael Olise’s cross fall from his hands and drop nicely for James Tomkins to equalise.
Solly March scored a brilliantly improvised finishCredit: Reuters
James Tomkins headed in from Robert Sanchez’s mistakeCredit: Reuters
Patrick Vieira may have cause for concern over Crystal Palace’s performanceCredit: Reuters
It is now seven games and almost four years since Brighton claimed victory in this fixture.
Solly March’s second-half strike after a dominant display looked to have ended that long wait but the gift-wrapped equaliser made it a third consecutive 1-1 draw between these two.
The Eagles had not won here since October and the home fans were up for the occasion to try and shake them out of their Selhurst slump.
With ticker tape, flags and a banner draped across the front of the Holmesdale Road end which read “Channel the energy that got us here”, the hosts were given a raucous reception.
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But that intensity was not matched on the pitch.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side were after the Eagles from the off, with Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo snapping into aggressive challenges on Cheick Doucoure and Jeffrey Schlupp, with the World Cup winner earning an early booking.
He should have had an early goal too.
Fitting with Palace’s recent malaise, Doucoure played a loose square ball along the halfway line which was pounced upon by the Seagulls.
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March raced down the right and slipped in Mac Allister, whose tame shot was saved by Vicente Guaita.
The Argentine was quick to test Guaita again, with his bending effort tipped away by the Palace keeper after another spell of pressure from the visitors.
Inside half an hour Guaita was already keeping Palace in it, diving to stop the bundle of energy that is Kaoru Mitoma, who sent a low shot across goal after exchanging a one-two with March.
But there was nothing the Spaniard could do to stop the opener.
When the Spaniard couldn’t get to Pervis Estupinan’s looping finish into the far corner, VAR stepped in to help, ruling the full-back narrowly offside.
The tight call lifted Palace for a moment and Adam Webster was needed to slide in and block efforts from Jean-Philippe Mateta twice in a matter of minutes, the second gifted after a dangerous ball back into his box from Mitoma caught Estupinan unawares and ended up with the Palace striker.
Marc Guehi had to be just as sharp as Webster at the other end, throwing himself in front of a Mac Allister effort from March’s cross on the stroke of half-time.
Brighton should have headed into the break comfortably ahead of their desperately poor hosts, and were back at it again within a minute of the restart.
March fired a low effort into the side netting from the off before sending another attempt into the arms of Guaita minutes later.
Palace, having not made a change at the break, were still largely chasing shadows and struggling to get a grip of the Seagulls, far more energetic and organised.
Vieira’s call to switch to an old-fashioned 4-4-2 was not helping things, and neither was new signing Albert Sambi Lokonga, booked for a challenge on March moments after being sent on for the injured Will Hughes.
March had been tormenting the Eagles throughout, setting the tone with unrelenting pressure off the ball and direct running on it.
And the former Palace academy man, who was with the club for two years before being released at 13, was the one to finally get the goal Brighton deserved.
After another extended spell of pressure, Estupinan delivered a devilish cross to the far post where March snuck in behind Tyrick Mitchell and finished high into Guaita’s net – wheeling away to celebrate with the travelling fans, who were soon singing about a European tour.
Their chants were quickly replaced by cries from the home support, all thanks to an almighty blunder from Sanchez.
After Guaita had been doing all he could to keep an underperforming Palace in the game, his counterpart completely undermined his team-mates.
Brighton were in near complete control until, just minutes after going ahead, Sanchez rose to collect an easy cross from Olise but let the ball slip through his fingers.
Tomkins was waiting patiently in the six-yard box to nod in his first goal since December 2021 and level for the hosts.
It was a gift for Palace and Vieira looked to capitalise on it by sending on Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze, though it was the Seagulls pushing for a winner – with Mac Allister heading Pascal Gross’ corner agonisingly wide.
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The point will be much more valuable to Vieira, though the Eagles boss will not have been impressed with the overall performance – and neither will fans.
Not every week brings a gift and lucky escape like this, and while the South London side remain in a comfortable mid-table spot, anxiety over slipping into a late relegation battle still floats around Selhurst Park. More