Arsenal charged with misconduct for failing to control their players during feisty Newcastle draw

Arsenal have been charged with misconduct by the Football Association following Tuesday’s feisty draw against Newcastle.

The Gunners surrendered their 100% home record after a goalless stalemate which boiled over in the closing stages after Mikel Arteta’s side were denied a 95th minute penalty.

Both referee Andy Madley and the VAR adjudged Jacob Murphy to have accidentally handballed Granit Xhaka’s cross which prompted a furious response from Arteta.

The Spaniard had already been riled by Madley’s decision to add on just five additional minutes despite a series of stoppages for substitutions and alleged timewasting from Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Madley was confronted by several Arsenal players after he opted against pointing to the spot and the protests continued after the final whistle which has led to an FA chrage.

A statement read: ‘Arsenal FC have been charged with a breach of FA rule E20.1 following their Premier League match against Newcastle United FC on Tuesday, January 3 2023.

‘It is alleged that Arsenal FC failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion in the 95th minute, and the club have until Tuesday, January 10 2023 to respond.’

Arteta has been heavily criticised for his touchline histrionics and was branded a clown by former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton, while others have blamed two dropped points on his tetchiness.

Howe, meanwhile, has hit back at accusations that his side were guilty of timewasting and insists his team are not in the business of winning any popularity contests as they continue their unlikely top four charge.

He said: ‘We are not here to be popular and to get other teams to like us. We are here to compete and to compete, we have to give everything to try and get a positive result.

‘I’ve got no issue saying that. That is our job and that’s what we’re going to try and continue to do.’

Reports have suggested the ball was in play for as little at 51 minutes and 23 seconds of the 90, a statistic which has been used by former Gunners vice-chairman David Dein to back his calls for timekeeping to be taken out of the hands of the referee.

However, Howe said: ‘Depending on how the game is going and where the momentum is in the game, you have to be streetwise and smart and find a way to get a positive result for your team, and certainly I think that’s been a really good aspect of our play this year.

‘But on the other side of that, I think we’ve been very proactive and tried to keep the ball in play in the vast majority of our games.’