Arsenal were held to a frustrating draw against Newcastle, extending their Premier League title lead over reigning champions Manchester City to eight points.

Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on January 03, 2023 in London, England.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta cut a frustrated and angry figure on the touchline as he watched his side draw 0-0 against Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners could see their lead at the top of the table cut down to five points if Manchester City beat Chelsea on Thursday night.

Referee Andrew Madley handed out nine bookings in total as the north Londoners saw two penalty claims denied. Arteta admitted that he felt both decisions should have gone Arsenal’s way despite Gary Neville disagreeing with the Gunners boss.

The Gunners started strongly but failed to get on the scoresheet after scoring seven goals in their last two fixtures against West Ham and Brighton as they saw their 100% home record end. Gabriel Jesus is set to be sidelined until February with a knee injury as Mikel Arteta admitted his side lacked a ‘spark’ in attack to find the winning goal.

The Arsenal manager had to be separated by a mixture of his coaching staff and refereeing officials near the end of the match as he got into a heated argument with Eddie Howe. Fans will see the result as two points dropped despite moving further ahead of City, but Arteta reiterated how “proud” he was of his team’s performance against a stern Newcastle team who have lost just once away from home all season.

In his post-match press conference, Arteta said: “[I am most proud of] the way we play. Personality, the cohesion, the determination and the clarity to play the way we want to play.

“The results have been great but I’m especially proud of the way we play against any opponent.”

beIN Sports presenter Richard Keys has taken aim at the Gunners boss following his actions on the touchline during the match, claiming Arteta looked ‘out of control’. Keys tweeted: “Seriously – when is someone going to get control of Mikel Arteta?

“He’s an embarrassment. Totally out of control during games.”

Seriously – when is someone going to get control of Mikel Arteta? He’s an embarrassment. Totally out of control during games.

— Richard Keys (@richardajkeys) January 3, 2023

The Gunners boss is an emotional figure on the touchline, similar to that of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, but it shows his desperation and eagerness to push his team to find a winning result in each fixture. Keys’ verdict will not go down well with Arsenal supporters who feel closer than ever to the team and manager as they continue their Premier League title challenge.

source: https://www.football.london/