Arsenal news: Granit Xhaka facing action from authorities after update – Ex-Fifa official
Granit Xhaka may be set for a visit from a top referee after Arsenal hold a meeting from the PGMOL.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after the PGMOL accepted the club’s request for a meeting.
The Telegraph reported yesterday (24 February) Arsenal are dismayed at a number of decisions as they have already received four red cards in 2022.
No other Premier League team has been shown more red cards since Mikel Arteta took over in December 2019.
“This is a sensible move,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“This is something I would do regularly with managers. What is important is in refereeing there is a lot of perception.
“If I’m Arteta, I’m going to have all the red cards ready on video, all the decisions I’m unhappy with and then seek clarification.
“On the red cards, in the case of Xhaka, he’s not got much room to complain. Out of it, a referee and a coach might go into Arsenal to discuss with the player what is going wrong.
“I did that in the past, I did it with Marouane Fellaini when he was at Everton.
“It is long overdue and I think the PGMOL need to be more proactive. It’s not in the remit of Mike Riley because he sits in an ivory tower but effectively, this should have been done some weeks ago.
“The confidence in match officials is eroded. What is really concerning to me is, I liaise with a lot of Arsenal fans through social media and I’m defending the PGMOL and referees because their integrity is not in doubt. Their competence is.
“This is a two-way thing. A referee doesn’t go hunting to send players off this is about players having knowledge of the laws of the game.
In other news, Gabriel Martinelli could be frozen out at Arsenal amid a ‘perilous’ teammate claim.