Arteta granted more time to respond to FA charge for branding VAR a disgrace

Mikel Arteta has been given until Friday to respond to his Football Association charge for comments he made after Arsenal's defeat by Newcastle earlier this month.

The Gunners boss branded the VAR decision not to rule out Anthony Gordon's goal in his side's 1-0 defeat at St James' Park 'an absolute disgrace'.

Arteta has been charged with a breach of FA rule E3.1 and initially had until Tuesday to offer his response.

However, that deadline has now been extended until Friday at the Gunners' request.

VAR made a triple check to see whether the ball had gone out of play before Joe Willock's cross, whether Joelinton had fouled Arsenal defender Gabriel and whether Gordon had been offside.

Arteta could not hide his anger after the match, saying: 'You have to talk about how the hell did this goal stand up? Incredible. I feel embarrassed.

'I have to now come in here and try to defend the club and please ask for help because it's an absolute disgrace that this goal is allowed. An absolute disgrace.'

VAR audio of the incident was released on the PGMOL's Match Officials: Mic'd Up show, in which referees' chief Howard Webb called the judgement correct.

Arsenal had supported Arteta's comments in a club statement, saying the refereeing was 'unacceptable', adding that the league 'deserves better'.

The goal was not the only controversial decision of the match, Kai Havertz and Bruno Guimaraes both escaping red cards from referee Stuart Attwell for separate infringements in the first half.

Havertz took out Sean Longstaff with a wild sliding tackle, while Guimaraes got away with an elbow on Jorginho.

An independent Premier League panel last week ruled that both incidents should have been red cards.