Arsenal's duality was there for all to see in their 2-0 win at Sunderland: gritty defence and moments of genius. But things could have turned out very differently had a crucial 121-second period gone the other way. After close to an hour of physical, full-blooded football, Sunderland were given a penalty when Ezri Konsa fouled Dan Ballard at a corner.
It proved the turning point - David Raya tipped Enzo le Fee's spot kick on to the post, and just over two minutes later, Arsenal substitute Bruno Guimaraes crashed in the opener off the underside of the crossbar. Arteta's side left the north-east of England with their ninth successive Premier League victory. Not since the days of the Invincibles, in 2003-04, have the Gunners done that.
Yet Arteta was furious about the Sunderland penalty that could have cost his side. "It's a judo roll from the opponent. Ezri [Konsa] does nothing.
Just watch it," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day. "We have a lot of cameras and VAR, we have to take responsibility to protect the game. Today the game was unprotected and it could have cost us the game and the momentum which is a really, really serious thing." Referee John Brooks took a few seconds to point to the penalty spot after Ballard and Konsa hit the ground, but once he did the VAR stuck with his decision.
Konsa was certainly committing a foul, though Ballard did appear to have a hold of the Arsenal man. "This should never happen, it's not fair, and I am sad, very sad, in that sense," said Arteta, who was booked in the first half for repeatedly leaving his technical area. "I'm making it very clear publicly because it's for the game, it's not only for Arsenal, this cannot happen at this level.
"It's not acceptable, I've watched it 20 times and can't think of why it was given." This season, Premier League referees have been instructed to clamp down on grappling at corners, something that became a big talking point last term. "With the new laws trying to get rid of the grappling, Konsa is all over Ballard. You have to be looking at the ball," former England midfielder Karen Carney said on TNT Sports.
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