Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he '100 per cent' backs the account of his players amid the FA investigation after last weekend's clash with Liverpool.
Proceedings were briefly paused in added time as Michael Oliver, the referee, ran to the touchline to speak with both Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp. It's understood to have referred to an argument that erupted inside the Liverpool penalty area and involved several players.
Oliver again spoke to both managers after the game, and the matter was then referred to the FA, who confirmed they were going to investigate the issue. "We are aware of an incident that took place during the match between Arsenal and Liverpool," an FA spokesperson said. "We are in dialogue with the match officials and will review the details of the incident."
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Liverpool's Jordan Henderson and Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes were both spoken to by Oliver after the match, with the latter of the two seemingly adamant that he heard something on the pitch. The FA's usual method is to seek eyewitness accounts from all those players who were involved or nearby. In this situation, that would almost certainly include Granit Xhaka, Roberto Firmino and the Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker, as well as Henderson and Gabriel.
Now Arteta has been asked again about the incident, and as claimed by the Mail Online, via our colleagues at the Echo, he says he stood by his players' account "100 per cent."
"It's something I don't want to touch. It's in the FA's hands, and I'm not going to get involved in that," he added. Then when pressed on whether he expects the investigation to rumble on, the Spaniard said: "I don't know. It's something that I don't decide. I think timings are really difficult to predict. The FA is in charge of the situation, and we'll have to wait and see."
The ending to the game marred what was a fantastic spectacle in north London. An early opening goal from Gabriel Martinelli and two goals from Bukayo Saka was enough to secure all three points for the Gunners, who secured their eighth victory in nine Premier League games.
Arsenal now face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League tonight as they look to consolidate their position at the top of Group A. Arteta's side then face Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday.
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