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 he refused to divulge any further details.
Arteta's fury over penalty decision
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.
"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."
Private talks with Pro Ref
It's been a chastening week for Pro Ref and Arteta was asked about the incident and any subsequent communications with the organisation on Friday.
Speaking in his press conference, Arteta said: "We discuss many topics and very important all of them. To talk to give their opinions, and everyone's duty to try and improve the game."
When he was then asked if the club had heard from Pro Ref, Arteta responded: "It is a conversation that will remain private."
Apology question
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.
When asked if Arsenal were also expecting an apology, Arteta retorted: "It is not about an apology. It is about agreeing that the decision should be different or not."
