Arsenal given explanation over controversial VAR call as Bukayo Saka speaks out

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Joe Hart feels VAR were right to overturn a penalty call in Arsenal 's dramatic 2-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday after analysing the incident involving Nick Pope and Viktor Gyokeres .

The Gunners clinched all three points at St James' Park courtesy of late goals from Mikel Merino and Gabriel after initially falling behind to a Nick Woltemade header. To rub salt into Arsenal's wounds, Newcastle's opener came shortly after they were awarded a penalty when Pope seemed to bring down Gyokeres in the penalty area, only for referee Jarred Gillett to reverse his decision after an on-field review was recommended.

Arsenal were left incensed by the decision and the call was debated online after replays were shown during the game on Sky Sports . But Hart , speaking on Match of the Day, thinks the officials got the call right - because Pope's planted foot was not travelling in Gyokeres' direction. "As Gyokeres went through, the immediate goalkeeper in me said, ‘I hope Pope got a touch on that, but I’m not 100 per cent sure’," Hart admitted.

He continued: "There’s definite contact. Pope, with those size 13 feet of his, gets a toe on it. Not only does he get a toe on it, he manages to divert the ball away from goal. But that’s not the most important point. As Pope plants his foot, he’s deemed not to be using a forward motion towards Gyokeres.

"Therefore, as Gyokeres’ knee clashes into Pope’s knee, it is just seen as a clash of bodies. It’s not Pope taking him out. It’s not a foul. Not a penalty."

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Not everybody felt the incident was as cut and dry as Hart. Mikel Arteta and Bukayo Saka were both asked about the incident post-match and made it clear that they felt the wrong outcome was reached. The latter told Sky Sports: "The penalty, you know, for me, like if we have VAR for clear and obvious errors, and the fact that it took the ref that long to decide…

"So it’s not a clear and obvious error, but it’s things like this, these little things that always go against us. But I think today, we got what we deserved for sure. I was speechless, man. But doesn’t matter now we won."

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Arteta also questioned whether the trigger for the review was clear and obvious in his own press conference, saying: "Well, I watched it back and watched it live as well. And if it’s not a clear and obvious error, VAR should not intervene.

"We’ve been told this for a few years, this style of decision again, and for me, it’s very clear that it doesn’t have to intervene because it’s a penalty."

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