The FA decides on Mikel Arteta following Newcastle United’s ‘absolute disgrace’ claim….

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been given an extension to respond to his Football Association charge for comments he made following his team’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle earlier this month.

Arteta was charged with a violation of FA rule E3.1 and was given until Tuesday to respond. The deadline has now been extended until Friday, according to the Daily Mail.

Arsenal’s defeat at St James’ Park was their first in the Premier League this season, and it could be a setback to their title hopes later in the season.

In his post-match press conference, the Gunners manager launched a scathing attack on the referee and VAR officials, calling the decision to award Anthony Gordon’s goal ‘an absolute disgrace.’

The match-winning goal required three separate VAR checks to determine whether the ball was in play, whether a foul occurred, and whether Gordon was onside at the time of the goal. All three checks were eventually ruled in Newcastle’s favor, and the decision has been lauded by ex-Magpies striker Michael Owen and ex-referee Howard Webb.

Arteta’s remarks caused quite a stir in the media at the time, and Gary Neville was harshly critical of the Spaniard’s actions, describing them as dangerous. Despite this, Arteta doubled down on his comments in a post-match interview, claiming it was his “duty” to provide a “clear and honest assessment” of what happened.

Arsenal also defended Arteta’s remarks. “The Premier League is the best league in the world, with the best players, coaches, and supporters, all of whom deserve better,” the club said in a statement. PGMOL must address the standard of officiating immediately and focus on action that moves us all forward from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations, and apologies. We applaud Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb’s ongoing efforts and look forward to working with him to achieve the world-class officiating standards that our league requires.”