Mikel Arteta insisted he was “100%” behind his players - and their version of events - as the FA inquiry into a flashpoint at the end of the Liverpool clash dragged on.
Referee Michael Oliver spoke to both managers after a furious on-field row between Gabriel Magalhaes and Jordan Henderson at the end of the Gunners’ dramatic win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal have since travelled north of the Arctic Circle for Thursday's Europa League tie on FK Bodo/Glimt’s artificial pitch.
But the focus in Norway remained on two Brazilians with top scorer Gabriel Jesus rested at home while the FA continue to investigate the Emirates row involving his compatriot.
Arteta, who refused to confirm who has been interviewed by the governing body, said: “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. I don’t know (how long it will last). 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.”
But asked if he fully supported his player’s version of events, he said: “100%”.
The temperature will certainly be lower in the Arctic Circle on an artificial pitch which was slammed by Jose Mourinho after his Roma have lost twice here last season.
The Norwegian champions won 6-1 in the Europa Conference League October 2021 - and beat them again here in the quarter-finals where the Portuguese blamed the pitch for a knee injury to defender Gianluca Mancini.
Asked if the artificial pitch at the 8,270-capacity Aspmyra Stadio is an “unfair advantage”, Arteta said: “We don’t know. Even it’s windy or raining or snow, that’s not an excuse. Our focus is to win every three days and find a way to do it as a team all the time. Our selection is based on how we think we are going to win the game. That is it.
On Jesus, he said: “We thought that with everything he has been through in the last few weeks we thought it was better that he was staying there.”
Arteta has been rotating his team for the Europa League but promised Norway captain Martin Odegaard will “probably be on the pitch at some stage”.
The former Real Madrid star, who made his debut for his first club Stromsgodset a decade ago aged 13, said: “The biggest mistake we can make is to talk too much about the pitch, the weather or whatever. For us the most important thing is just to come here and win the game. That’s all that matters.
"We’re not going to focus too much on the pitch. Obviously it’s a bit different and we have to adjust a little bit, but it’s still football, still the same rules;. So we’re going to go out and win the game and that’s the only important thing for us.”
