Bukayo Saka and Mikel Arteta make VAR stance clear after Arsenal penalty incident at Newcastle

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has questioned the use of video assistant referee (VAR) after it intervened to reverse referee Jarred Gillett's decision to award the Gunners a penalty at Newcastle United on Sunday.

Gillett initially awarded the visitors a penalty after goalkeeper Nick Pope clipped Viktor Gyokeres. VAR checked the incident and advised the Australian to review it on the on-field monitor.

Following several replays, Gillett announced that the decision was no penalty. "After review, the Newcastle goalkeeper plays the ball and there is no foul," the Australian said. "The final decision is drop ball."

Things went from bad to worse for Arsenal when Nick Woltemade put Newcastle ahead. However, Arteta's men showed remarkable resilience to come from behind to win thanks to Gabriel Magalhaes' injury-time winner.

Speaking after the St. James' Park win, Saka gave his view on the penalty incident involving Gyokeres. "Obviously there's a few things we can speak about," he said.

"The penalty, you know, for me, like if we have VAR for clear and obvious errors, and the fact that it took the ref that long to decide. So it's not a clear and obvious error, but it's things like this, these little things that always go against us.

"But I think today, we got what we deserved for sure. I was speechless, man. But doesn't matter now we won."

Mikel Arteta seconded his winger's feelings on the incident, explaining to Sky Sports how VAR didn't need to get involved. "Well, I watched it back and watched it live as well," he said. "And if it's not a clear and obvious error, VAR should not intervene.

"We've been told this for a few years, this style of decision again, and for me, it's very clear that it doesn't have to intervene because it's a penalty."

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