Joe Willock told Arsenal players the ball had gone out of play in the build-up to Newcastle’s controversial goal at St James’ Park as Mikel Arteta escapes ban from the FA

• Joe Willock told Arsenal players the ball had gone out of play in the match
• A VAR check lasting over four minutes allowed the controversial goal to stand
• Is there now huge pressure on Newcastle to finish in the top four? Listen to the debate on It’s All Kicking Off 

The FA’s investigation into the language used by Mikel Arteta after Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat against Newcastle last month has revealed Joe Willock admitted to Gunners players that the ball had gone out of play in the build-up to the controversial goal scored in the match.

Arteta escaped punishment for his comments after Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle last month, an FA statement has confirmed.

He had previously been charged by the FA on November 16 for labelling the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winning goal ’embarrassing’ and ‘a disgrace’ following a VAR check of over four minutes.

However, the charge was dropped after an independent investigation explained Arteta claimed that his use of the word ‘disgrace’ had been misinterpreted as a similar word in his native Spanish has a different meaning.

The investigation has now also shown that former Arsenal player and current Newcastle striker, Willock, had told opposition players in the match that the ball had gone out of play before his cross into the box that Gordon scored from.

Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon celebrate Newcastle’s goal that secured them a 1-0 victory over Arsenal

Willock told Arsenal players that the ball had gone out of play in the build-up to Gordon’s goal

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Willock was chasing a shot by Jacob Murphy that looked to be going out for an Arsenal goal-kick before Willock chased down the ball and crossed into the box.

Joelinton scuffed the ball back to the waiting Gordon who then tapped the ball into the net amongst a melee of Arsenal defenders and goalkeeper David Raya.

The resulting VAR check took four minutes and six seconds to decide whether Anthony Gordon’s goal should stand.

Mikel Arteta fumed over the controversial goal being allowed to stand against his side

VAR initially checked whether Willock had kept the ball in-play down near the corner flag, with replays showing the ball looked to have crossed the line but eventually ruled to have just stayed in.

It was then being checked whether Joelinton committed a foul on Gabriel as it appeared the Brazilian pushed his fellow countryman in the back.

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Arteta was told by his Arsenal players that Willock had admitted to them the ball had gone out of play and increased what the Gunners manager described as increasing his ‘sense of injustice and frustration’.  

Newcastle went on to win the match by the single-goal as Eddie Howe’s side claimed a valuable three points against Arsenal.

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