Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his team was wrongly denied a “clear penalty” after a late handball incident involving Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina during a 0-0 Premier League draw on Saturday.
The controversy came in the closing stages when Aina appeared to use his arm to control the ball near the byline while attempting to prevent it from going out for a corner. The on-field referee did not award a penalty, and video review upheld the decision, determining that the ball made contact with Aina’s shoulder first and that his arm was in a natural position.
Arteta strongly disagreed with that assessment.
“I saw it live, I’ve seen it again, and for me it’s a clear penalty,” Arteta said after the match. “It’s unnecessary, but he brings the ball back with his hand.”
Arteta also rejected the explanation that initial contact with the shoulder negated the handball.
“Yes, it hits the shoulder first, but then he takes the ball with his hand,” he said. “The explanation is not right. The intention and timing are very clear. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t be saying this so strongly.”
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche dismissed Arsenal’s appeals, calling the suggestion of a penalty “ridiculous.”
“If those are given as penalties, you might as well cancel football,” Dyche said. “We have to be very careful with these decisions.”
Dyche also argued that Forest were unlucky not to receive a penalty of their own earlier in the match. He pointed to a challenge by Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber on Callum Hudson-Odoi near the edge of the penalty area. The referee awarded a free kick just outside the box, and the decision was not changed after review.
“It was right on the line,” Dyche said. “He’s in full flight going into the box. For me, that’s just as debatable.”
The draw left both sides frustrated, with Arsenal dropping points in the title race and Forest unable to capitalize on home advantage after a tightly contested match dominated by defensive discipline rather than clear-cut chances.