Mikel Arteta FUMES at the controversial penalty awarded to Everton, saying in is post-match press conference “I’ve seen it 15 times, NO WAY”.
The Arsenal boss was visibly frustrated following the 1-1 draw at Goodison Park, particularly over a controversial penalty decision that allowed Everton to equalise in the 49th minute when referee Darren England awarded Everton a penalty after Jack Harrison went down under pressure from Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Iliman Ndiaye converted the spot-kick to cancel out Leandro Trossard’s earlier goal for Arsenal.
Post-match, Arteta expressed his disbelief, stating, “I’ve seen it 15 times, there’s no way, in my opinion, that’s a penalty.”
He argued that the contact, if any, was insufficient to warrant the call, suggesting it began outside the penalty area and lacked substance inside it.
Arteta further contended that if such minimal contact justified a penalty, then Everton’s Jake O’Brien should have been sent off for a second yellow card after obstructing Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya earlier in the game, leaving Everton with 10 players.
Arteta’s comments reflect his belief that the decision shifted the game’s momentum, costing Arsenal two points in a match they otherwise dominated.
Despite his frustration, he acknowledged his team’s failure to capitalise on late chances, with Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli missing opportunities to secure the win.
The draw left Arsenal 11 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, intensifying the pressure on Arteta’s title-chasing side as they prepare for a Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The challenge that led to Everton’s penalty.
Correct decision? 🤔
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/IAoT0g5LUZ
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 5, 2025
‘I’ve seen it 15 times, there’s NO WAY that’s a penalty!’❌😤
Mikel Arteta is not happy with the referee’s decision which saw Arsenal draw with Everton🤐👀 pic.twitter.com/AjKeiVhHVv
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) April 5, 2025
“I have seen it 15 times – in my opinion it is never a penalty.”
Mikel Arteta’s made his feelings clear after Arsenal’s draw with Everton. #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/zLugjXLSeJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 5, 2025
The Premier League Match Centre said on Twitter: “The referee’s call of penalty for the challenge by Lewis-Skelly on Harrison was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed to be sufficient for a penalty and inside the area.”
Chris Sutton (on Final Score): “I think it was a very, very soft penalty. Even David Moyes will look at that and agree that the penalty was a soft one.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking to TNT Sports: “Especially with the result very unhappy. It’s tough place to come. A team that is very physical and direct. The start of the second half was very poor, gave the ball away, very insecure and then the decision with the penalty comes. It’s for me, never a penalty.
“The game just started in the second half, you want to get some momentum. We never got to that because the game became really different.”
On physicality: It’s always like this and that’s a big strength of the Premier League and you have to deal with that, you have to live with that like many other teams in the Premier League.”
On positives: “We had some very big chances that we didn’t finish very well apart form the goal. They didn’t generate anything at all so it’s very disappointing that we concede a goal.”
On drawing 11 games: “You have to win many more games.”
On team fitness: That’s all good but we wanted the three points, you want everything the way you plan it. We did a lot of good things, managed to rest some players but we want three points.”
Arteta, speaking to BBC MOTD: “Yeah, I’m 100% frustrated. We were very much in control of the match. We were hoping in the second half to continue the domination but out of nothing the referee decides to give a penalty. I’ve seen it 15 times…it’s not a penalty.
“They [Everton] are very good what they do. We gave away so many silly fouls which led to set pieces. They generated nothing at all.”
On the title race: We have no margins – that’s so clear. We have done enough to win the game but the margins are very small.”
Everton manager David Moyes, speaking to BBC MOTD: “Our first-half performance was really poor – sloppy, slacking from the first moment. We gave Arsenal encouragement and that’s the one they certainly don’t need. They’re a good enough team.
“Credit to players, they turned it around at half-time, got about it and a great reaction from the crowd that helped us get a penalty and in the end, get a point against a good team.”
On playing Liverpool on Wednesday: “If you’re going to become a top team you have to get used to playing midweek, we’re probably not used to it here. I think it was a factor. The early kick-off, those extra hours can make a difference. We didn’t start well.”
On what’s to play for: “I’ve said to the players the challenge we’ve got to prove how we can get on against the better teams. We are trying to play better, we didn’t today do that so we need to find a way we can do that. Moving forward we are trying to find how to get better against better sides.”
On Iliman Ndiaye: “We missed Iliman. He is one of our major talents, we’ve missed Dwight McNeil as well and we are without Dom [Calvert-Lewin], so we’ve had to find a way to get results.
“We’ve done a pretty good job. We are just about there, not mathematically, but just about clear of being a Premier League team. I will probably visit the stadium this week now that I am feeing that way.”
Moyes, speaking to TNT Sports: “We’re getting much closer [to safety] but until we’re mathematically safe we cannot say too much. To be fair it’ll be very hard for the other sides to get to where we are.
“Our performance in the first half looked like we had a game on Wednesday night and Arsenal had the extra recovery. I thought we were really poor and made some incredibly poor decisions. We got about them a little bit at half-time and told them we expected more.
“Whether it was good fortune or whatever we got a penalty.
“When I got the job [in January] I thought if I took Everton down it would be an absolute disaster. The big thing is the players have responded really well and we’ve gone from people saying we don’t score any goals to being a threat.”
