Mikel Arteta rages at Sunderland penalty decision: 'This cannot happen'

A furious Mikel Arteta described Sunderland's penalty in Arsenal's 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light as "unacceptable".

The home side were awarded a spot kick in the 54th minute when defender Ezri Konsa was adjudged to have held Sunderland's Dan Ballard by referee John Brooks.

"The referee's call of penalty to Sunderland for a holding offence by Konsa on Ballard was checked and confirmed by VAR," said a statement published by the Premier League Match Centre.

The statement continued by quoting the interaction between on-pitch referee Brooks and the VAR.

"REF: 'He's all over him at the near post facing the wrong way.' VAR: 'I'm happy that it's a holding offence. The foul is confirmed. Confirming the on-field decision of penalty.'"

David Raya saved Enzo Le Fee's spot kick and Bruno Guimaraes scored Arsenal's opening goal just 121 seconds later but Arteta vented his anger at the decision despite the result.

"The first question we have to discuss is this," he said at the start of his press conference. "This is not acceptable at this level.

"It was a beautiful game of football with two teams, with an atmosphere in the stadium that was unbelievable.

"Sunderland are so well organised, they are so good in so many phases, they have great players and they create a lot of issues. We have to cope with all of that in a really difficult week.

"And on top of that, we have to go through what we have done today, that, in my opinion, is not acceptable.

"I watched it 20 times and I cannot find a way to understand how they think to give a penalty in that situation, or the way the VAR has to intervene.

"So I don't know what to think.

"I'm sad that we have to discuss this after such a beautiful game, that at this level, has the gravity of that. Because that changes the course of the season and it can cost you the championship.

"At this level, with all the work we put in, this cannot happen."

Arsenal's victory was wrapped up by a late Bukayo Saka penalty but Arteta, who was booked for going out of his technical area earlier in the game, was similarly angry in his post-match interview with TNT Sports, describing the incident as a "judo roll".

"It's not a penalty in any case, in any context, in any league," he added.