Emery demands better use of VAR as ‘clear’ penalty refused
Arsenal manager says Sokratis had shirt pulled Wilder hails ‘fantastic’ night for Sheffield club
Unai Emery said Arsenal were denied a “clear” penalty in their damaging defeat by Sheffield United as he joined the growing list of managers to rail against the supposed improper use of video technology.
Arsenal defender Sokratis was pulled back in the box in the first half at Bramall Lane and Mike Dean, the referee, waved away a penalty appeal without going to the video assistant referee. Emery said VAR needed to “help the referees” in such incidents after his side went on to lose to a Lys Mousset goal.
Arsenal have now kept just two clean sheets in 24 away Premier League matches since Emery took over as head coach last summer, with this their fourth defeat in their past seven away matches against newly-promoted sides.
“We created chances and one for example is very clear: the penalty on Sokratis,” said Emery. “VAR is for this reason, to us in an action like that. I think it was very clear.
“I was on the bench and I saw it perfectly. He won the timing of the header and, for me, it was a clear penalty.
“My point of view is to review it and, after that, decide. We need to help the referees.”
Emery also bemoaned a horrible miss by record signing Nicolas Pepe, who shanked his shot wide from close range in the first half when the game was still goalless.
Pepe’s all-round performance was otherwise one of the few positives for Arsenal but Emery said: “The chance for us, for Pepe, was the key, I think.
“I think we deserved more. We did not deserve to lose that match but I appreciate their [Sheffield United’s] work and they are here with their supporters. At 1-0 they felt strong enough to achieve the result.
“Pepe is improving. The next step is to score.”
Sheffield United’s victory, which moved them into the top half of the Premier League table, was their most significant result since they returned to the top division this season. “If people had watched us