Mikel Arteta launches furious rant as Arsenal star Merino ‘punched in the head’ but no penalty given in Inter defeat
MIKEL ARTETA was left seething with the officials after Arsenal were sunk at the San Siro after a tale of TWO penalties.
The Gunners boss raged over Hakan Calhanoglu’s first half spot-kick for a controversial handball against Mikel Merino that earned Inter Milan a famous Champions League victory.
And Arteta then argued his side deserved to have a penalty of their own “one thousand percent” after Merino was PUNCHED by Inter keeper Yann Sommer in the head.
Arteta said: “We were very harshly done. I don’t understand [Inter’s penalty]. It is a deflection. There is no danger, no reaction because it is very close to his body.
“There is nothing he can do. I don’t know how you can get away from it.
“We were told at the start of the season that was not going to be a penalty but it was a different story.
“But if that is a penalty then when Merino is punched in the head it is one thousand percent a penalty. It is very difficult to accept that.”
Arsenal legend and TNT pundit Martin Keown said: “It was a controversial moment. Fine margins. I don’t believe it was a penalty and I feel it was really harsh.
“Where are you supposed put your arm in that position? Who’s made these rules? Have they played the game?
“Mikel Merino is so close and the arm has come up to go into a challenge. It is really harsh.
Martin Keown's assessment
Here's a look at what Arsenal hero Martin Keown made of the referee's decisions...
On Yann Sommer clashing with Mikel Merino…
“You can see there is a follow-through. On another night the referee might see that as a violent act.
“He [referee Istvan Kovacs] was levelling it up and dishing it out to players, but he didn’t level up on penalties.
“The one against Arsenal is really harsh.”
On the penalty decision…
“It was a controversial moment. Fine margins. I don’t believe it was a penalty and I feel it was really harsh.
“Where are you supposed put your arm in that position? Who’s made these rules? Have they played the game?
“Mikel Merino is so close to Mehdi Taremi and the arm has come up to go into a challenge – it is really harsh.
“Merino is preparing to go with his first action and then the ball deflects.”
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Merino is preparing to go with his first action and then the ball deflects.”
On Sommer’s connection with Merino, Keown added: “You can see there is a follow-through. On another night the referee might see that as a violent act.
“He [referee Istvan Kovacs] was levelling it up and dishing it out to players, but he didn’t level up on penalties.”
Arteta confirmed that Merino was taken off at half time as a result of that collision with Sommer, admitting he did not feel well before kick-off and was left “groggy”.
Arsenal have now lost three of their last six games in all competitions as their poor run continues both in the Premier League and in Europe.
They now travel to Stamford Bridge to take on in-form Chelsea on Sunday, with Kai Havertz now also a doubt after requiring stitches following a clash of heads late on against Inter.
But the visitors had their chances, attempting 20 shots, their most without scoring in a Champions League game since November 2006 against CSKA Moscow.
Arteta added: “I’m very proud of my players. If we play like we did tonight we can win at Chelsea.
“With the number of situations we created we should have scored.
“But that was more us tonight, we dominated one of the best teams in Europe in their stadium, I’m proud of them.
“The worst thing of the night is the result, the performance, attitude, the dominance against one of the best teams in Europe, I haven’t seen it in the games I watched.
“We had many situations we could have resolved much better and scored at least two goals and we are extremely frustrated – in both boxes we did not do what we have to do.”