Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta charged by FA for comments made after controversial Newcastle United defeat in Premier League

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been charged by the FA for comments made after his side's Premier League defeat to Newcastle United.

Arteta raged that the officiating was a "disgrace" after his side were beaten 1-0 at St. James’ Park on November 4 in highly controversial fashion.

“Mikel Arteta has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3.1 following comments that he made in media interviews after Arsenal’s Premier League game against Newcastle United on Saturday 4 November,” read a statement from English football’s governing body.

“It’s alleged that his comments constitute misconduct as they are insulting towards match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or bring the game into disrepute. Mikel Arteta has until Tuesday 21 November to provide a response to this charge.”

Arteta made the comments after Anthony Gordon’s decisive strike for Newcastle took four minutes to be awarded, as checks were made for whether the ball went out of play, a potential offside and a possible foul by Joelinton.

The incident, and Arsenal’s subsequent 1-0 defeat, left Arteta furious and he made his feelings clear after the game, calling the officiating “embarrassing.”

"I feel sick to be part of this, sick,” he later added at a post-match press conference.

Arsenal subsequently backed their manager and issued a statement offering “wholehearted support” to the Spaniard and attacking “yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors.”

Arteta then doubled down on his comments by saying it is his “duty” to express his opinions and give an “honest assessment of what happens in the game.”

However, the manager may have crossed a line by breaking FA rule E3.1.

The rule states: “A Participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.”

Arsenal travel to Brentford after the international break on Saturday, November 25.

They sit third in the Premier League standings after 12 games, one point behind leaders Manchester City, and the defeat in Newcastle remains their only league loss of the season.

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