Martin Keown has reignited his simmering feud with Peter Schmeichel, hitting out on the Manchester United legend’s ‘ridiculous’ tackle West Ham’s disallowed goal against Arsenal.
Schmeichel has been an outspoken critic of Arsenal’s playing style under Mikel Arteta, branding the Gunners’ tactical approach ‘ugly’ and ‘annoying’ after the side’s defeat to Liverpool in September – a scathing attack which Keown labelled ‘deranged’.
After three successive runners-up finishes, though, Arsenal appear on track to finish their 22-year drought within the Premier League this season, with just two games remaining against Burnley and Crystal Palace.
The north Londoners’ title charge had looked susceptible to derailing following a 2-1 loss at Manchester City last month, but victory in Sunday’s pulsating derby with relegation-threatened West Ham restored the leaders’ five-advantage at the highest.
Nevertheless, the main talking point of the competition got here on the death as Callum Wilson struck through a crowd of bodies to seemingly rescue the Hammers some extent following Leandro Trossard’s earlier effort.
But after a lengthy VAR check, which dragged on for the very best a part of five minutes, the goal was disallowed for a foul within the build-up, with Pablo adjudged to have impeded David Raya with an arm across his chest.
Arteta was quick to praise the ‘brave’ officiating on show and Sky Sports’ punditry panel of Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Jamie Redknapp followed suit, agreeing that referee Chris Kavanagh and his team eventually arrived at the right decision.
Schmeichel, meanwhile, took an altogether different view in his post-match evaluation on Viaplay, insisting the choice to disallow Wilson’s strike was ‘so unsuitable on so many levels’.
‘What really makes me indignant is that Arsenal would never be top of the league if that’s a free-kick,’ the previous United and Denmark goalkeeper said.
‘That’s how they’ve scored so many goals, by blocking people, holding people, doing all types of things.
‘After which we get thus far, it takes VAR five minutes, Darren England the VAR, it takes five minutes.
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‘He starts it once more and starts it once more and again… that in itself puts a lot doubt into that call that it can’t be a free-kick.
‘I feel it’s so unsuitable. I just don’t understand why unexpectedly that’s a free-kick, since it’s not been for any teams all the way in which throughout the season.
‘All this, it’s just crazy. And that call today, it’s just so unsuitable on so many levels.’
But giving his thoughts on talkSPORT this morning, ex-Arsenal defender Keown suggested Schmeichel’s comments could have been influenced by the Dane’s ties to each Manchester City and Manchester United.
‘He’s holding his arm! I’d wish to think I’m a good man, it is a just decision,’ Keown explained.
‘What’s remarkable is that it’s a goalkeeper affected by this… if it had happened to him [Schmeichel] then he’d have been screaming from the rooftops that that’s a foul.
‘If he [Schmeichel] continues to be playing and he gets fouled to that degree… come on, it’s ridiculous.’
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On Schmeichel, Keown went on: ‘He’s indignant since it’s Arsenal. Did he not play for Manchester City? Did he not play for Manchester United? The present rivals and the previous rivals of Arsenal.
‘There was no disguise to the West Ham situation. There was three fouls on him.
‘We’ve seen that every one season, it’s been like a wrestling match. Until yesterday, they’ve stopped putting the ball within the box, Arsenal, because they’ve been wrestled to the bottom so that they’re now going with the short corner which shows creativity, imagination.’
While Keown is adamant the suitable call was made on Sunday, he believes ‘something radical’ could have to be done to combat the quantity of wrestling and holding at set-pieces within the Premier League.
He added: ‘What probably must occur next season is in case your opponent is marking you within the box, holding onto you, not even the ball, and the ball is delivered, I feel possibly we’re a direct red card.
‘Do something radical to alter that.
‘I consider 100 per cent that the referee got it right, there’s three fouls on the goalkeeper.
‘The worrying thing for me is that it takes so long and it must be three fouls.
‘You’ve got to have the option to see this stuff quicker. They’re seeing these stills… come on, within the moment!
‘When you’re on the pitch, you might have to see the pass and also you make the pass.’
Asked if he felt the title race was now over, Keown replied: ‘We’ll should wait and see, won’t we? We may have to attend and see. There are still two games to go.
‘Do the job, don’t be distracted by all of the noise. You’re busy on the wheel, don’t look behind you, keep going for it.’
Should the goal have been disallowed?
Yes, the suitable decision was made
No, it must have stood!
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