Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has pushed back against suggestions that his outspoken criticism of match officials draws unfavorable comparisons, while conceding that he too is capable of getting things wrong in his public assessments.
The Spaniard has been vocal in recent weeks about refereeing decisions affecting his side, most notably branding a penalty award against Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa as "unacceptable" following Arsenal's victory over Sunderland. Arteta argued that the contact in question stemmed from what he described as a "judo roll" executed by Dan Ballard, rather than any foul committed by his own player.
When pressed on whether his repeated interventions on refereeing matters risk overstepping his role, Arteta was unapologetic, insisting that speaking up for his club and players is simply part of his job description.
"No, I'm here to try to give my opinion," Arteta said. "To defend my club, to give the very best to our players. In order to do so, obviously, you guys ask some questions and we need to respond in the most direct and fair way."
The Arsenal boss acknowledged that his judgments won't always be perfect, but stressed his intention to remain balanced in how he addresses controversial incidents.
"I will make mistakes, sometimes, but I will try to be as fair as possible," he added.
Arteta also touched on the broader dialogue between clubs and officiating bodies, suggesting that regular exchanges take place behind closed doors aimed at improving standards across the game.
"We discuss many topics in this room, very important all of them. We have a space to talk, give our opinions, have discussions, have personal conversations," he explained. "It's everybody's duty to try and improve the game and that's what we are here for."
His comments arrived in the wake of a separate refereeing controversy that rocked the Premier League over the weekend. The officiating body responsible for match officials issued a formal apology to Manchester United after failing to disallow Erling Haaland's decisive goal in the Manchester derby, which should have been flagged for offside.
Asked directly about any communication Arsenal may have received from the same officiating organization—commonly referred to as Pro Ref—regarding decisions affecting his own team, Arteta declined to reveal specifics, citing the confidential nature of such discussions.
"These are conversations that will remain private, as they should and they have to keep it that way," he said.
Rather than framing these exchanges as a matter of clubs demanding apologies, Arteta characterized them as constructive dialogue focused on reaching mutual understanding.
"It's not about an apology. It's just agreeing that the decision should have been different or not, maybe they have a different opinion," he said. "Try to improve and move forward together."
The episode underscores the growing scrutiny facing Premier League officials this season, with high-profile errors prompting increased transparency demands from managers and clubs alike. For Arteta, maintaining open criticism of refereeing decisions appears to be a deliberate strategy—one he views as compatible with fairness rather than in conflict with it.
As Arsenal continue their campaign, the question of how officiating controversies are handled both publicly and privately is likely to remain a recurring theme, with Arteta signaling no intention of softening his stance when he believes his team has been wronged.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.