Neville responds to Arteta's claims his team were 'scandalously' denied 2 pens

Gary Neville has responded to Mikel Arteta's claims that his side were 'scandalously' denied two penalties by suggesting it would have in fact been a scandal had Arsenal been awarded a penalty for a handball at the death.

Arteta appeared frustrated on the touchline for much of the evening as Newcastle successfully frustrated his side throughout, denying them the chance to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League to 10 points as they held the hosts to a 0-0 stalemate.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Arteta was open about his frustrations - laying bare to the reporter his grievances over the decisions he felt his team were denied.

'Extremely proud of my players,' he said. 'The way we played, dominated the game, tried and continued to control the game.

'We needed that spark in the final third. We had so many situations. And when had two scandalous penalties.

'There were two penalties. It's very simple. I'm talking about what I've seen. It was two scandalous penalties I'm so proud of the work we have done.

'I think we lacked an extra touch or movement to finish these chances in this game.'

However, asked to provide his two cents on the handball, Neville went completely the other way to the Arsenal manager and suggested that he would be 'furious' had it have been given against his side.

'I thought it would have been scandalous if it had been given,' he said.

'If Arteta had lost a game via that he would be fuming. You cannot have your arms by your side when you slide in.

'That is not penalty - you go in like that to block a cross, that is not penalty in a million years. He would have been livid had that been given against Ben White, [Takehiro] Tomiyasu or Oleksandr Zinchenko.'

Arteta's remonstrating for a penalty at the death appeared to annoy Newcastle's bench, with Eddie Howe even wading in to tell the Spaniard what he thought about his perceived attempts to influence the officials.

Neville said of Howe's actions: 'The handball one at the end, Howe was right to respond on that one.'

Paul Merson, working alongside Neville, agreed. 'I can't make a case for it [being a penalty],' he said. 'I am disappointed if that's given against me. I think the Burn tug is more of a penalty for me.'

Neville and Les Ferdinand agreed with Merson's assessment of the Burn tug, with both admitting that Arsenal had legitimate reasons to feel aggrieved over VAR's non-interference after the Newcastle defender appeared to grab a lot of Gabriel's shirt at a free-kick.

'In my opinion that's a stonewall penalty,' Merson said. 'His fist is clenched. That is a foul anywhere else on the pitch. We have seen bookings for less tonight.

'I don't understand how that is not clear and obvious. It's a clear cut penalty. He has got hold of his shirt,' the former Newcastle forward agreed. 'If players are bumping into each other, you can understand referees waving it on in the box. But if you've hold of somebody's shirt and it's as clear as day, it's a penalty.'

Neville added: 'VAR officials with Howard Webb have been told to not get involved unless you have to. Arteta has a right to be annoyed at that one. Newcastle were very lucky there. I think they (Arsenal) have a right to feel aggrieved.'

Merson went slightly further, suggesting the lack of awarding a penalty for the Burn tug on Gabriel was down to a lesser understanding of the game by officials at the VAR base.

'They haven't got an understanding of the game at Stockley Park,' he said.

'That is so clear and obvious. Anywhere else and it's a free-kick. We saw players get booked for less.'