Arsenal boss Unai Emery condemned the VAR decision that allowed Crystal Palace to fight back and rescue a 2-2 draw on an extraordinary afternoon at the Emirates.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos and David Luiz scored early in the first-half as the Gunners took a commanding early lead but Palace pulled one back from the penalty spot after a controversial VAR intervention.
Wilfried Zaha was judged to have dived by referee Martin Atkinson following a challenge from Calum Chambers but the video assistant referee overturned the decision, deeming enough contact was made to award to spot-kick which was duly dispatched by Luka Milivojevic.
Emery hit out at the decision to award Palace a penalty – criticizing a lack of consistency from the match referee and his assistants at Stockley Park.
"I didn't understand the referee and VAR reaction,” Emery told BBC Match of the Day.
“Last week they didn't check VAR for a penalty for us but we respect that. Two weeks ago there is one penalty for Pepe against Bournemouth, they didn't check, okay. I don't understand.”
VAR also denied Arsenal a possible winner late on, chalking off Sokratis' fine finish for a foul on James McArthur on Chambers.
"For me there is no confusion - it is not a good decision. We deserved to win, we had a good reaction after they equalized, we scored but then they didn't count it.
"We didn't concede many chances apart from the penalty to score. Our reaction was very good, also the supporters help us in the last minutes to score the third goal and win the match but this doesn't happen."
Desmondeyum
2675
VAR reaction to Emery tactics
franknwalker
2157
after Pepe rescued your job now you want the VAR too[5percent] No
Daubcryz
2012
Live from the VAR room. Goal disallowed😎
tohabkostz
511
Yeah we may have our issues but I have been in no doubt that there is an agenda against Arsenal with the officials in the Premier league. Especially since Wenger called them out for being corrupt. The corrupt EPL officials for years allowed our top players to be kicked off the park to the point where some end up with career threatening injuries. I'm not making excuses for our performance but we have the officials against us always. Take for example the Sheffield United game where Sokratis's shirt was pulled and VAR didn't spot that to be a penalty but today chamber's touch was enough for foul. Truly inconsistent against Arsenal. Shame!
yoyikmot
475
Emery must be sacked before he destroys Arsenal. Nothing has changed since he took over from Arsene Wenger rather the team is going the drain. I thought I the board would have brought in Brendan Roggers instead of this clueless manager called Unai Emery. Pls sack him now.
Widsty
296
Unai Emery has turned Arsenal players into robots, who don't think for themselves as they play. Players lack creativity & look confused, are weaklings & can't fight like Men to win games, they lack ambition, and the team lacks a leader when playing. Emery himself looks clueless on how to win matches, despite having among the best squad of talented players Arsenal has ever had lately. Unai Emery is now a failed coach full of mistakes, tactically inferior, & can't compete as coach in this highly intense EPL. Any good & ambitious coach would win the EPL with this same squad of Arsenal players. The Arsenal Board must stop the bromance with Emery & give him ultimatums. Demand wins for the next 7 EPL games & if he fails, sack him.
SINGAM23
8
Mr Unai Emery, please Stop Complaining and Start Challenging. or else, Sacking Orders awaits you