• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Updates
  • Match Recap
  • Livescores
More SportsMore Sports
More SportsMore Sports
Updates

Mikel Arteta Fumes Over Penalty Call that Cost Arsenal Crucial Win Against Everton

Iliman Ndiaye converted the spot-kick, leaving Arsenal 11 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool with just seven games remaining.
By Melissa JeptooApril 5, 20254 Mins Read
In image: Mikel Arteta and match officials

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left seething after a controversial penalty decision cost his team two vital points in a 1-1 draw against Everton, further denting their Premier League title aspirations. The Gunners, who took the lead through Leandro Trossard in the first half, were pegged back shortly after the break when referee Darren England awarded Everton a penalty for a foul by Arsenal’s young defender Myles Lewis-Skelly on Jack Harrison. Iliman Ndiaye converted the spot-kick, leaving Arsenal 11 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool with just seven games remaining.

The match, played on a tense afternoon at Goodison Park, saw Arsenal dominate possession early on. Trossard’s clinical finish, set up by a swift counter-attack led by Raheem Sterling, gave the visitors a deserved lead heading into halftime. However, the game’s momentum shifted dramatically in the 49th minute when Harrison went down under pressure from Lewis-Skelly in the penalty area. Despite protests from Arsenal players and a VAR review, the on-field decision stood, much to Arteta’s disbelief.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Arteta did not hold back in his criticism of the call. “For me, it is never a penalty,” he said, his frustration palpable. “I’ve seen it 15 times, and there’s no way, in my opinion, that’s a penalty.” The Spaniard went further in his post-match press conference, suggesting that if the referee deemed Lewis-Skelly’s challenge worthy of a penalty, then Everton’s Jake O’Brien should have been sent off for a separate incident involving Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. “If there is [a penalty], then O’Brien has to be out, and Everton has to play with 10 men. That’s clear,” Arteta argued.

The draw leaves Arsenal’s title hopes hanging by a thread. With Liverpool, who have a game in hand, set to face Fulham on Sunday, the gap at the top could stretch to 14 points by the weekend’s end. Arteta acknowledged the uphill battle his team now faces, noting, “You have to win many more games when there is a team that constantly is winning,” referring to Liverpool’s relentless form under Arne Slot.

For Arsenal, the result was a bitter pill to swallow, especially with a crucial Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against Real Madrid looming on Tuesday. Arteta had made five changes to his starting lineup from the midweek win over Fulham, resting key players like Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli in preparation for the European showdown. While the trio came off the bench in the second half, they couldn’t inspire a winning goal, with Mikel Merino squandering a late chance to snatch victory.

Everton, meanwhile, will take heart from the point earned under David Moyes. Ndiaye’s composed finish from the spot marked his seventh goal of the season, and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s late saves from Declan Rice and Martinelli ensured the Toffees held firm. The result moves Everton to 14th, 15 points clear of the relegation zone, though their winless run in the league stretched to six matches.

Arteta’s post-match comments also touched on his team’s inability to capitalize on their dominance. “We didn’t play the game you have to play [against Everton],” he admitted. “It’s a very tough place to come, a team that is very direct, very physical. We went ahead, but the start of the second half was very poor. The decision of the penalty comes, and it changes completely the momentum.”

The incident involving Lewis-Skelly, an 18-year-old academy graduate who has impressed this season, adds to a growing list of disciplinary challenges for Arsenal. The youngster has already been sent off twice in the campaign—though one red card was later rescinded—and Arteta has previously spoken about the need for him to find a balance in his aggressive defending.

Arsenal Everton Mikel Arteta Premier League

Keep Reading

Ex-Referee David Coote Admits Offence Involving Indecent Child Image

James Tarkowski Signs Two-Year Contract Extension to Stay at Everton

Everton Stun Palace as Grealish Strikes in Stoppage Time for 2-1 Win

Arsenal Beat West Ham 2-0 as Rice Scores, Saka Nets Crucial Penalty

More News

View More

Arne Slot Backs Wirtz, Calls for Patience Amid Slow Liverpool Start

Ange Postecoglou Sacked by Forest Following 3-0 Defeat to Chelsea

Madrid’s Xabi Alonso Backs Players Opposing La Liga’s Miami Match

Marc Guehi Set to Leave Crystal Palace After Rejecting Contract Offer

Barcelona, Spotify Extend Camp Nou Naming Rights Agreement to 2034

French Players’ Union Joins Dutch-Led Class Action Over FIFA Rules

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest sports news from MoreSports about football, Formula 1 and more.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Livescores
© 2025 More Sports. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.