VAR actually missed a key moment in Arsenal 4-2 Leicester City, Mikel Arteta must have been furious

Today at 06:45 AM

Arsenal have already had a number of run-ins with officials this season, just six games into the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

Firstly, there was a major talking point just before the international break when Declan Rice was sent off in the 1-1 draw against Brighton, after being deemed to have delayed Joel Veltman from restarting the game.

Then, lightning struck twice as Leandro Trossard was dismissed against Manchester City for the same offence, as Arsenal drew 2-2.

The Belgian smashed the ball away after being penalised for barging Bernardo Silva to the ground, although Michael Oliver hardly gave the Arsenal No.19 any margin for error, having blown his whistle just milliseconds before the offence.

With these two incidents in mind, Arsenal fans and Mikel Arteta alike would have been left furious by what Wilfred Ndidi did in the 35th minute on Saturday…

VAR fails to notice what Wilfred Ndidi did in Arsenal 4-2 Leicester City

All we want to see when it comes to officiating is some consistency, but that was nowhere to be seen from Sam Barrott at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Leicester City No.25 had already been shown a yellow card in the 31st minute, and then proceeded to kick the ball away – off the pitch in fact – after Bukayo Saka was fouled by Stephy Mavididi.

You can view the footage on X – Arteta was surely incensed not to see the Nigeria international receive a second yellow.

After so much talk in recent weeks about kicking the ball away and delaying the restart, Arsenal fans will surely be baffled as to how Ndidi wasn’t punished.

The decision almost cost Arsenal dearly as a double from James Justin looked to have snatched a point – a comeback that surely would not have happened if the Foxes had ten men for over half the game.

Fortunately for Arteta, stoppage-time goals from Trossard and Kai Havertz secured all three points.

Mikel Arteta should complain

Arsenal potentially would have secured four extra points had Rice and Trossard not been dismissed against Brighton and Manchester City respectively, as the Gunners were winning both games at the time red cards were shown.

As we all know in a title race up against the Citizens, every point is key, and those dismissals could well cost Arsenal come May.

Therefore, Arteta – who Sam Allardyce feels is now a stronger coach defensively – would be well within his rights to lodge an official complaint to the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited).

Hopefully, we will see greater consistency when it comes to officiating in the Premier League soon, as some decisions of late have been truly baffling.