HAPPENING LIVE: Arsenal awarded three points after shocking new VAR verdicts cancel Sunderland goal due to new offside rule – Decision made by the PGMOL this morning

HAPPENING LIVE: Arsenal awarded three points after shocking new VAR verdicts cancel Sunderland goal due to new offside rule – Decision made by the PGMOL this morning

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has given his verdict on three contentious incidents from Arsenal’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka both netted superb goals for the visitors, but they were still forced to share the spoils.

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Sunderland broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark with Arsenal’s former academy prodigy Dan Ballard becoming the first opposition player to beat David Raya in over 800 minutes. He demonstrated the coolness of a forward to control and hammer home Nordi Mukiele’s header down from a Robin Roefs free-kick.

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Arsenal had approximately 35 minutes to hunt for a winner and it seemed as though they had found it through Trossard, with the Belgian firing a thunderbolt from the edge of the box.

It was Ballard who claimed the first contact this time, but many believed the centre-back was lucky to remain on the field following an incident with Mikel Merino in the opening minutes.

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The two players battled for a cross into the area with Ballard winning the header but catching Merino with his elbow in the process. The Spain international needed extensive treatment but both referee Craig Pawson and VAR ruled it was neither a foul nor violent conduct.

Mikel Arteta was livid in the immediate aftermath and Gallagher has now offered his verdict on the incident. Speaking on Sky Sports Ref Watch, he said: “VAR looked at it. I don’t think it’s a foul.

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“His used his arms for leverage. If anything, Merino comes into him. There’s a clash but there’s clashes all the time in football. It’s strong defending.”

Ballard’s goal also came in contentious circumstances with Martin Zubimendi harshly penalised for a foul that directly resulted in Arsenal conceding for the first time since late September.

“I think he’s unlucky to give a free-kick away, even more unlucky to get a yellow card,” Gallagher acknowledged. “It’s possibly a mis-read by the referee.”

The former official saw nothing wrong with Sunderland’s equaliser though, despite protests of dangerous play led by Gabriel Magalhaes. “A really, really good goal. He only has eyes on the ball. The [Arsenal] player has ducked in. For me, a good goal,” he acknowledged.