Mikel Arteta sympathises with Liverpool after ‘dangerous’ VAR mistake in Tottenham win

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has sympathised with Liverpool over Luis Diaz's disallowed goal in Sunday's defeat to Tottenham, insisting VAR does not guarantee correct decisions.

Liverpool have requested the VAR audio from the 2-1 defeat after Diaz's legitimate goal was ruled out due to, as the POGMOL described, a "significant human error". Liverpool released a damning statement in response suggesting "sporting integrity had been undermined".

It has been explained that VAR Darren England believed the goal had been awarded by the referee so issued a "check complete" to confirm the forward was onside. However, Diaz had been flagged offside, so the on-field decision stood.

Arteta was asked for his thoughts on the incident, replying: "We had some big discussions before the start of the season and everyone had the right intentions to improve the game and find the best way to take it forward.

"But it’s true that with everything that already happened this season, not just in the Premier League but in other countries as well, the pressure is increasing. It’s not easy for them. It’s not easy for any club or any manager because that really affects part of the season or a result and that is a dangerous thing to do."

Asked if he has sympathy for Liverpool, Arteta replied: "For sure, you know at the end you want to get what you deserve. You want to minimise errors that you cannot control away from the work and the job that you do on a daily basis.

"Everybody is trying to have a really clean and honest game but in the end you have to earn the right to win it and play in the conditions that the rules allow. When that doesn’t happen it’s extremely frustrating.

"When they explain all the processes of what they’re trying to do it sounds really logical, but in the heat but when you’re talking about millimetres and interpretation of other things like the frames of the camera it’s very, very different. It’s a shame that it’s happening but at the moment we haven’t got the right answers I think."