Gary Neville tells Arsenal to do one thing after ‘dangerous’ VAR statement

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Arsenal have been heavily criticised in the media since backing Mikel Arteta for comments he made about refereeing standards in the Premier League.

Many have told Arsenal to stop moaning, following a number of controversial refereeing decisions in their defeat to Newcastle, but Arsenal were in full support of their manager following his angry reaction to the game’s events.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has been less sympathetic throughout, much to the chagrin of Arsenal fans, and he has now slammed Arsenal for issuing the statement.

Gary Neville slams Arsenal statement

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Neville claimed that Arsenal need to conduct themselves better in the face of bad decisions.

“I thought the statement was really poor. I did the other week, I thought Liverpool had a shocking one go against them a few weeks ago here when we were here and we knew it was wrong at the time and they had a lot to feel hard done by,” he stated.

“I think the Arsenal statement is quite dangerous. All clubs signed up to a behavioural charter at the start of the season and I’m not saying that referees shouldn’t be put under pressure, but the clubs themselves should behave better in these circumstances.

“I’m looking at the Premier League now because the reality of it is that they have got to try and protect referees. At the very beginning I was excited by the new transparency and the apologies to managers and referees were communicating but in return what they are getting in significantly and seriously undermined by their own clubs, and the Premier League need to get this in order.

“And the other clubs, by the way, have to get this in order because I think this is uncharted territory these letters being written.”

Is Gary Neville contradicting himself over Arsenal’s statement?

Neville’s punditry role has seen him criticise countless refereeing decisions over the years, and scrutinising the role VAR has played in them.

Following England’s World Cup exit to France, Neville brandished referee Wilton Sampiao as a “joke.”

“He had an absolute nightmare. A joke of a referee. I’m not saying it was all down to England’s defeat – people will say it is excuses – but he’s just a bad referee, rank bad.”

With the shoe on the other foot, he has been quick to slam both Arteta and Jurgen Klopp for criticising refereeing decisions. Neville has even stated that there needs to be an improvement in refereeing quality and standards, but is still criticising the clubs seeking change.

Being so willingly critical of referees, but shouting down the clubs who are calling for the standards to be raised, sums up why it feels unlikely that there will be much immediate improvement within the Premier League’s refereeing methods and quality.