Arteta's penalty fury backed by pundits as referee transcript reveals why spot-kick was given

Arsenal secured a 2-0 Premier League victory over Sunderland on Saturday, with Bruno Guimarães opening the scoring before Bukayo Saka added a second to keep the Gunners top of the table. The result, however, was overshadowed by a contentious penalty decision that continued to generate debate long after the final whistle.

Sunderland were awarded a spot-kick after referee John Brooks ruled that Ezri Konsa had dragged Dan Ballard to the ground inside the area. David Raya saved the penalty, sparing Arsenal what could have been a damaging setback, but manager Mikel Arteta was incensed by the call. “This cannot happen,” Arteta said. “I have been involved in football for 27/28 years. It’s not a penalty in any game, in any game, in any context in any league… it is a judo roll. That’s what it is.”

Match of the Day pundits Ashley Williams and Thomas Frank have since sided with Arteta. Williams, a former Premier League defender, argued that Brooks had got the decision “completely wrong”, pointing to footage showing Ballard grabbing Konsa’s shirt before the Arsenal man went to ground. “Look at Ezri Konsa’s left shoulder here — it’s pulled down by Dan Ballard,” Williams said. “He spins round and obviously lands on top of Dan Ballard. If anything, this has to be a foul the other way.”

Former Tottenham manager Frank was equally unequivocal. “I completely agree, I don’t think it’s a penalty,” he said, backing Williams’ reading of the incident.

Further context emerged when the Premier League published the VAR transcript from the incident via its Match Centre account on X. The exchange between Brooks and the in-game VAR confirmed that the official upheld the penalty on the basis of a holding offence by Konsa, though the transcript has done little to quell the controversy surrounding the call.

Despite the storm, Arsenal’s composure after the penalty miss — and the goals that followed — ensured their perfect start to the season remained intact.