Fans all have same theory after Arsenal are awarded controversial pen vs Man City – and even Piers Morgan can’t see foul

FOOTBALL fans joked Arsenal were awarded a controversial penalty against Man City to make up for referees’ blunder weekend – and even Piers Morgan was mystified.

Mikel Arteta was still seething four days on from the calamitous error by bungling VAR Lee Mason that let Brentford’s offside equaliser stand when the Citizens arrived in North London.

Richard Pelham / The Sun

Just before half-time, ref Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot when Eddie Nketiah was bundled into by Ederson.

Nathan Ake cleared off the line but replacement VAR David Coote – who came in for John Brooks after his own howler at Selhurst Park – saw no reason to overturn Taylor’s on-field decision.

That was despite Gary Neville declaring on Twitter: “Not a pen that!”

And Gunners-mad Morgan added: “BOOOOOOOM! 1-1. Brilliant penalty by Saka (even if I have no idea why it was given… )”

Fans took to Twitter with a host of hilarious responses – claiming the penalty was soft but given to balance things out.

One said: “Arsenal were robbed over the weekend, so they’ve been gifted the equalizer here tonight.”

Another wrote: “There’s Arsenal’s reward paid back after that dodgy VAR from the weekend. So corrupt.”

A third added: “They felt sorry for Arsenal after the weekend. LOL this is what the refs in England are doing now.”

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Another quipped: “Dodgy decision at the weekend went against Arsenal so now they’re getting a soft penalty? P*** off.”

One typed: “Arsenal fans are you going to stop crying about PMGOL and refs now?”

A Manchester United fan replied: “Literally no Arsenal fan or player was even thinking of a pen in that play until the ref gave it.”

And a final user commented: “That penalty was given to Arsenal to try to make up for the incorrect offside call from the weekend.”

Bukayo Saka made no mistake from the spot, coolly rolling into the bottom corner and sending Ederson the wrong way to score a crucial equaliser.