Arsene Wenger unhappy with "very bad" VAR decision

Arsene Wenger has questioned the Premier League's decision to delay the implementation of video assistant referees after Arsenal were denied a penalty against Newcastle United.

The Gunners felt that they should have had a spot kick when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's powerful shot deflected off the hand of Toon skipper Jamaal Lascelles.

Referee Anthony Taylor decided against pointing to the spot and Newcastle went on to score twice to win the match 2-1 from a goal down.

Wenger feels that the call may have been different had VAR been available, but Prem clubs this week voted to again restrict the technology to just cup competitions in 2018-19.

Speaking to reporters after the match, the Frenchman said: "The referee is the referee. What you want is to help the referee. Unfortunately, the Premier League has decided not to go for VAR. I think that is a very bad decision.

"The Premier League has been created with people who had a progressive mind and wanted to be in front of the rest in Europe. It worked.

"I believe that with that decision we are behind the rest in the world and that every big game this season has been decided by mistakes that could have been avoided with VAR, especially in the Champions League with Manchester City and Liverpool.

"The young generation is used to [VAR] and worldwide they might move away from us because they see that in other countries they do it."

Arsenal have now lost all five away league games in 2018 - the worst record of any side in England's top four divisions.