Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was full of admiration for Bruno Guimarães following the Gunners’ 2–0 victory over Sunderland, describing the midfielder’s impact and personality as decisive in the match.
Speaking after the game, Arteta said:
“I am really impressed!”
“The personality that he has, and this was a special game for him as well, what it means for him. How he grabs the game, making decisions that he’s made.”
Arteta highlighted Guimarães’ composure, leadership and influence, noting how he controlled key phases of the match and delivered exactly what the team needed.
The Arsenal manager also expressed deep frustration over the 56th‑minute penalty awarded to Sunderland, calling the decision unacceptable at Premier League level.
His comments were emphatic:
“Look, the first question we have to discuss is that this is NOT ACCEPTABLE at this level.
It was a beautiful game of football… Sunderland are so organised; they are so good in so many phases…
We had to cope with all of that… and on top of that we have to go through what we’ve done today that in my opinion is NOT ACCEPTABLE.”
Arteta continued:
“I watched it 20 times, and I CANNOT find a way to understand how they even think to give a penalty in that situation, or the way the VAR has to intervene.
I’m SAD that we have to discuss in such a beautiful game something at this level that has the gravity of that, because that CHANGES the course of the season and can cost you the championship.”
He stressed that decisions of such magnitude cannot be allowed to stand:
“At this level, with all the work that we put in, this cannot happen. I cannot find an explanation — that’s why I’m going to try and find an explanation now.”
Arteta concluded by reiterating his desire to focus on football rather than officiating controversies:
“I want to be talking about how good we were, how good Sunderland were… we should not be talking about that.”
