Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta opted not to dwell too much on the controversy surrounding Manchester United’s opening goal in their 1-1 draw on Sunday, but he did express his frustration with the situation.
Bruno Fernandes scored for United in first-half stoppage time with a free-kick, which was taken from a distance that raised eyebrows.
The Arsenal wall was set at 11.2 yards from the ball when it was struck, which many felt was too far. Although not drastically different from the usual minimum 10 yards, the extra distance was still seen as significant.
When asked about the incident, Arteta acknowledged that Fernandes had simply exploited the situation to his advantage.
“He was smart, and the referee allowed it,” Arteta said. “He took advantage of the rules, and that’s football. He outsmarted the referee, and it’s okay because they allowed it to happen.”
United’s Christian Eriksen also weighed in on the distance of the wall, suggesting it worked to his team’s advantage.
“The wall was about 15 meters away, so it was perfect for Bruno to get it over,” he said. “It made a huge difference. It’s easier to strike the ball with less height, giving Bruno a bit more space.”
Meanwhile, Declan Rice from Arsenal felt the issue was more about the execution of the wall rather than the distance. “It felt like some of us jumped, and some didn’t,” he said. “The ball went over us at a low height, so we could have done better in terms of positioning. The wall did seem further back than usual, but ultimately, it’s the referee’s decision.”
Despite the differing opinions, it was clear that Arsenal felt the goal was preventable, whether due to the distance of the wall or the positioning of the players in it.
