Former Arsenal player, Perry Groves has slammed referee, Paul Tierney, saying the match official needs to start acting like a man.
This was as the referee, with the help of the video assistant referee, disallowed Arsenal’s well-taken opener against Manchester United on Sunday.
The referee came under fire after Gabriel Martinelli’s early goal was ruled out for foul during Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford.
Martinelli thought he had put the visitors ahead as he fired past David de Gea following a swift Gunners move.
The referee was surrounded by Man United players immediately afterwards with Christian Eriksen going down after a challenge from Martin Odegaard moments before the goal.
VAR duly reviewed the decision and advised the man in the middle to look at the incident again on his pitchside monitor.
After much deliberation, Tierney decided Odegaard’s contact on Eriksen was sufficient to disallow the goal, much to the delight of the Red Devils faithful.
However, former Arsenal man Groves was left raging at the decision.
Groves told talkSPORT: “It’s not clear and obvious. Paul Tierney needs to grow a pear, VAR wasn’t brought in for this.”
The defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday ended Arsenal’s hundred percent start to the new season. The Gunners had won five out of five of their Premier League matches.
The Red Devils are now within three points of the top of the Premier League with their fourth win on the trot.
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