Richard Keys has reignited his feud with Mikel Arteta after the Arsenal manager was booked during the first half of Sunday's Premier League victory over Manchester United. The broadcaster, speaking on beIN Sports, praised referee Anthony Taylor for carding Arteta, saying: 'Well done, Anthony Taylor. Quite right. Perhaps we’re making progress now. There’s absolutely no need for it.'
Keys has been a persistent critic of Arteta's touchline behaviour, previously calling him an 'embarrassment' after Arsenal's draw with Newcastle in early January and taking aim during the north London derby win over Tottenham. The latest incident occurred shortly after the half-hour mark when Arteta reacted angrily to a foul by Luke Shaw on Bukayo Saka.
Commentator Martin Tyler noted that a recent meeting at St George's Park addressed dugout behaviour, referencing both Arteta and Tottenham's Antonio Conte. 'You say it’s fair enough, but it’s not fair enough, in truth, because we have seen Jurgen Klopp get sent off,' Tyler said. 'It is an emotional game, we don’t want to take that away from those down on the touchline, but there are technical areas you are meant to stay in.'
Gary Neville, on co-commentary duty, also criticised Arteta, describing Shaw's challenge as a 'basic foul' and backing Taylor's decision. 'He’s been singled out over the last few weeks, Mikel Arteta, but I have to say it was just a basic foul, there was nothing in it,' the former Manchester United captain said. 'Shaw’s just trying to get in front of him, Saka does well, but he charges back up the touchline like a madman, Mikel Arteta, just watch him. There’s nothing in it, it’s a foul, move on with the game. He makes it look like he’s two-footed him.'
However, Roy Keane offered some sympathy for Arteta. 'Well I certainly wouldn’t worry about yellow cards, it’s the reds that you’ve got to worry about!' the pundit said. 'But from the Arsenal point of view I think they’d be OK with it, because he’s obviously passionate and you’re not in this job to be liked! He’s there to win football matches for Arsenal and that’s what he’s doing.'
