"NOT ABOUT AN APOLOGY!" Arteta reveals private talks with Pro Ref bosses after Arsenal complaints on penalty controversy

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Pro Ref have been in touch with Arsenal following his complaints over the penalty decision in last week's win at Sunderland but refused to divulge any further details.

The Gunners came away from Wearside with a hard-fought 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Bukayo Saka. But the result could have been very different after Sunderland were awarded a penalty with the game goalless, David Raya instead producing a superb save to thwart Enzo le Fee.

Arteta was irate after the game and insisted the penalty decision, made after Ezri Konsa pulled down Dan Ballard in the area, was "unacceptable".

"This can change the course of a season," he fumed. "It's not acceptable. I have watched it 10 times to make sure, because I watched it live and I said it's not possible to be a penalty because it's a judo roll, that's what it is. This cannot happen.

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"In my view. I have been involved in football for 27 or 28 years. It's not a penalty in any game, in any game, in any context in any league. I'm so pleased in one sense, I'm so worried in another."

Jamie Carragher suggested Arteta was speaking from a position of power, likening it to Sir Alex Ferguson. But Arteta responded on Friday, saying: "No, I'm here to try to give my opinion. To defend my club, to give the very best to our players. In order to do so, obviously, you guys ask some questions and we need to respond in the most direct and fair way.

"I will make mistakes, sometimes, but I will try to be as fair as possible.

"We discuss many topics in this room, very important all of them. We have a space to talk, give our opinions, have discussions, have personal conversations. It's everybody's duty to try and improve the game and that's what we are here for."

When he was then asked if the club had heard from Pro Ref, Arteta responded: "It is a conversation that will remain private."

Manchester United received an apology for the error which saw VAR intervene to allow Erling Haaland's winning goal in the Manchester derby to stand despite Enzo Fernandez being in an offside position in another recent high-profile incident.

On the subject of an apology, Arteta said: "It's not about an apology. It's just agreeing that the decision should have been different or not, maybe they have a different opinion. Try to improve and move forward together."