Game Management, Moments... and Referees!

The thing is... I really dislike Manchester United. They're second on my list; you can guess who are top. And losing to them when Arsenal had been the better side was hard to take. A combination of naivety, losing out marginally in important moments, and - and I'm at it again - bizarre refereeing cost Arsenal the points in this one.

You've all seen the game, but here for me are the salient points:

• United started out the stronger, and dominated the first 10 minutes possession-wise. However, even in that time, Arsenal had a very decent opportunity, and both Martinez and Varane committed fouls that on another day, and at another venue, may have seen them receive yellow cards

• The disallowed Martinelli goal is hard to take. In all honesty, if that had been the other way round, I'd probably have felt hard done by if the goal hadn't have been chalked off. But the issues I have here are two-fold. Firstly, we'd seen in the previous game a goal from Leicester where Tielemans has barged a Brighton player off the ball in the build-up - so where's the consistency? And secondly, did Tierney waving play on constitute a 'clear and obvious error' from him enough to expect the VAR to intervene? The answer to the latter question is quite obviously No, by the way

• And the interesting thing about that goal - disallowed or otherwise - was that it completely changed the pattern of the game, and Arsenal dominated possession from that point and right up to the middle of the second half. The problem was that they didn't create enough chances, and didn't test De Gea sufficiently. And United scored on the break; nicely worked, I'll grant you, but a disappointing collective defensive effort from Arsenal

• Following Saka's well-taken equaliser (Happy 21st Birthday, Bukayo), the pattern of United being forced to sit back and try to hit on the break paid dividends as a stray pass was intercepted, players were slightly out of position, and the rapid Rashford pounced. Arsenal's inability to get to grips with Eriksen and the weasel-faced Fernandes in midfield cost them dearly. Lokonga had a solid enough game; but he is no Thomas Partey

• And then... naivety. I think that Arteta panicked as he turned to a triple substitution with fully 20 minutes to go, which disrupted the shape and balance of the side. And within two minutes it was 3-1, and game over. Frankly, there was no need to go gung ho so quickly. There was plenty of time, Arsenal were still essentially on top despite being behind on the scoreline, and of course the perceived wisdom is to make one change (maybe two) and allow that to bed in before making further changes. Three at once was simply too many for the team to cope with

And so it was moments, and game management, that led to the defeat. I would sincerely hope that the team - still the youngest in the Premier League despite the recent acquisitions from Manchester City - and the manager both learn from this. They're still a pretty good side, and they're still top of the Premier League table, despite the defeat. 

But there is a third element that bears discussion, and that is the officiating.

Yes, I know that people say that we Arsenal supporters have a bee in our bonnet about officiating, but I remain continually amazed at how so much seems to go against us. And on a truly awful weekend for the PGMOL, what was by no means the most controversial VAR decision changed the course of the game.

But it wasn't just that. As I alluded to earlier, both Martinez and Varane could have received early bookings, and McTominay was up to his usual tricks throughout - he'd clearly seen what Tyrone Mings had got away with last week! Late on, substitute Mcguire got away with manhandling Nketiah in the penalty are; again, nothing. All without even a word from the referee; and yet Saliba was booked for his first (and frankly quite innocuous) foul of the match.

Now, there's simply no point suggesting that there's a conspiracy against Arsenal. Supporters of Aston Villa, Newcastle United, West Ham United, Leeds United and Everton all had far more pressing reasons to be angry with the officiating last weekend in an absolute horror show for the officials. But yet again it was circumstances and a lack of consistency on what the thresholds for foul play are that did for Arsenal on this day. That the match was officiated by a man who lives in Salford, or that the VAR - also based in Greater Manchester - has now been removed from VAR duties after his Palace/Newcastle howler the previous day - is neither here nor there. All we can ask for as football supporters is consistency and impartiality. And we are getting neither. What we are in fact getting is incompetence.

Anyway, we move on. ESR appears to have picked up an injury, which will affect plans for midweek in Switzerland. After that it's Everton at home - and although they have improved recently, they're extremely beatable. The next unbeaten run starts now.

COYG!