Garth Crooks has slammed Mikel Arteta for what he saw as unsportsmanlike behaviour late on in Arsenal's 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday.
Captain Martin Odegaard inspired the Gunners to victory, scoring the equaliser as they came from behind to make it four wins from four in 2022/23.
With his side looking to see the game out, Arteta prevented the Cottagers from quickly restarting play by chucking the ball away as it came into his technical area – an act of pettiness, perhaps, but nothing worth getting to upset about.
Apparently, Crooks thought otherwise. Naming Odegaard in his 'Team of the Week' for BBC Sport, the former Tottenham and Manchester United forward said:
"With the final seconds ticking away, and the visitors chasing an equaliser, I was hopping with fury to see Mikel Arteta watch the ball roll off the pitch into the technical area, pick it up and then throw it away as the Fulham player was racing to get it back into play.
"Managers should never touch the ball unless they intend to hand it back to the player. Bertie Mee [who led Arsenal to their first double in 1970/71] or Arsene Wenger would never have behaved in such a manner – and they won titles."
That's Arteta told, then; that's the worst thing a coach could ever do on the touchline.
It's not as though a Premier League manager has ever headbutted an opposition player mid-match.
