'He should've gone': Richard Keys praises Arsenal for win over Newcastle United but admits they were lucky
As we have said many times in the wake of Sunday's game at St James' Park, on the balance of play, Arsenal probably deserved their win over Newcastle United, but the manner of the defeat and the scorer of the winner made it such a bitter pill to swallow.
Losing a game to a winner deep in stoppage time is always a sickener, especially when you led the game for so long only to blow it in the final throes of the game.
Stoppage-time goals were a feature of the weekend in the Premier League, so Newcastle were by no means alone in nursing metaphorical injuries from such a sucker punch this weekend, but when it comes to Newcastle's, the fact that Arsenal's winner was scored by a player who should have been given his marching orders in the first half makes this one sting that much more.
Brazilian defender Gabriel had been an embarrassment to Arsenal for most of the game as he struggled to cope with Nick Woltemade. After the German scored Newcastle's goal, Gabriel insisted that he'd been fouled, but replays showed the slightest of touches by Woltemade.
Richard Keys asks where VAR was on Sunday afternoon
Instead of just letting it go, though, Gabriel took the next opportunity to lay an actual punch on Woltemade moments after the restart. Replays show a closed fist swing at Woltemade's head, but instead of rolling around on the floor, Woltemade just chased after Gabriel to let his feelings be known, which means that the incident wasn't viewed with the seriousness it probably deserved. Even VAR somehow passed it off.
We're about to enter dangerous territory here, and we're going to agree with something Richard Keys said in his blog.
“Top marks to my title-tips Arsenal. I was critical last week but they were terrific at Newcastle.
“I’d have to say the match-winner Gabriel was lucky to be on the pitch when he scored mind you.
“He should’ve gone after punching Woltemade in the face in the first half. That was violent conduct, so it comes into VAR’s orbit, so what were they doing in the bunker? How didn’t they see it?”
Just roll around on the floor next time
It still baffles us that VAR didn't feel the need to get involved. Dermot Gallagher tried to explain it on Ref Watch, but the fact that Gabriel didn't get a good enough connection to classify it as a punch doesn't really wash with us.
The intention was there, as we've said before, the closed fist is the biggest indicator.
The fact that Gabriel had the audacity to demand a handshake from Woltemade after is unbelievable. Top marks to Woltemade all round for not rolling around on the floor in the first place and then not letting Gabriel get away with it be shaking his hand.
Next time, though, just hit the deck and make out as if he'd just hit you with a sledgehammer; it's the only way officials will do their job.
