Mark Clattenburg says he used to find one Arsenal player so difficult to referee, he was ‘very aggressive’

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Arsenal and match officials have formed an interesting relationship over the Premier League era.

Fans felt aggrieved at multiple decisions last season that cost the Gunners vital points in the Premier League title race.

Declan Rice was given a controversial red card at home to Brighton at the start of the season and that was followed by Leandro Trossard being sent off in a pivotal clash away at Manchester City.

Myles Lewis-Skelly had a red card overturned against Wolves in January and the Gunners relationship with the PGMOL was at boiling point.

Now, former referee Mark Clattenburg has revealed that one Arsenal player under Arsene Wenger was one of the toughest to referee during his career.

READ MORE: Pundit says Bukayo Saka is actually ‘not as good’ when £34m Arsenal player is on the pitch

Mark Clattenburg reveals Ashley Cole was ‘very difficult’ to referee

Speaking on the latest episode of the ‘Whistleblowers’ podcast, Clattenburg has revealed that former Gunners defender Ashley Cole was a player that was ‘very difficult’ to referee.

Clattenburg stated: “He was tough to ref mind, very tough, very lippy very difficult, very aggressive. I had many run-ins with him trying to control him.

“He was highly strung. He was on the edge and he needed it, he was a great player, but he was always on the edge.”

Cole played 228 games for Arsenal during his career in North London and was booked on 40 occasions, seeing red twice.

The most high profile of red cards for Cole was in a Premier League encounter at Leicester City back in December 2003 as Cole was given a straight red for a two-footed challenge on Ben Thatcher.

Arsenal were leading 1-0 at the time and went on to draw the game 1-1 and drop vital points in the race for the title.

Arsenal must improve discipline this season if they want to win the Premier League

Clattenburg has backed Arsenal to win the league this season on the condition that Liverpool do not sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

However, if the Gunners are going to challenge for the title, they have to improve on their disciplinary record from last campaign.

Mikel Arteta’s side picked up six red cards last season and they simply cannot afford to be playing with ten players as often as they did in the 2024-25 campaign.

Despite feeling that some decisions did go against them, Arsenal’s players were also naive at times last season and put themselves in a position to be sent off.

They need to stay disciplined, keep their emotions in check and focus on the prize ahead that is ending the club’s five-year trophy drought.