Arsenal hit with FA charge after furious players confronted referee in Newcastle stalemate | Football | Sport

Arsenal have been charged by the FA for failing to control their players during their 0-0 draw with Newcastle on Tuesday night. The Gunners felt that they should have been awarded a penalty late on but the decision was waved away by referee Andrew Madley.

The incident in question came deep in added time after Granit Xhaka broke free on the by-line and attempted to deliver a cross, which appeared to be blocked by Magpies star Jacob Murphy. The midfielder had slid in to get his body in front of the ball, attempting to tuck his arm behind his midriff upon impact.

Madley felt that Murphy’s arm was in a natural position, and VAR agreed. The Gunners stars were furious, with Mikel Arteta parading up and down the touchline to also protest against the referee refusing to point to the spot. Players surrounded officials to protest, which only resulted in bookings for dissent.

The FA said that Arsenal’s on-field conduct was improper, releasing a statement that read: “Arsenal FC has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 following its Premier League match against Newcastle United FC on Tuesday 3 January 2023.

“It is alleged that Arsenal FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 95th minute, and the club has until Tuesday 10 January 2023 to respond.” The decision may not come as a surprise to many, though the ruling not including action against Arteta may raise eyebrows.

Fourth official Jarred Gillet told the Spaniard to calm down on numerous occasions, but with no success. Arteta was furious and continued to voice his opinions, eventually sparking a reaction from Magpies manager Eddie Howe, who felt that his behaviour was overstepping the mark.

Arteta felt that his team should have been awarded two penalties, with Dan Burn pulling Gabriel to the floor as he attempted to head home from a set-piece, with footage showing the towering defender having two handfuls of his opponent’s shirt. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the 40-year-old said: “I’m really proud of the way we played, the way we dominated the game. We lacked that spark in the final third to find the extra pass and, a little bit, the finishing quality.

“We had a lot of situations around the box to do better and then there were two scandalous penalties.” It remains to be seen whether the table-toppers decide to respond to the charge.