Mikel Arteta has stood by his VAR outburst following Arsenal's loss at Newcastle on Saturday and insists he will continue to "talk loudly" until he believes the situation improves.
The Gunners lost 1-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday – their first Premier League defeat of the campaign – as Anthony Gordon scored a controversial winner for the hosts.
The second-half goal was checked for three separate VAR offences – the ball going out of play, a foul by Joelinton on Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and a potential offside – but survived them all to ultimately earn Newcastle the three points.
Speaking after the defeat, Arteta said it was "embarrassing" and a "disgrace" that the goal stood – while Arsenal issued a statement on Sunday in support of their manager’s forthright views.
Asked today if he would have done anything differently, the Spaniard replied: "It is my duty to stand in front of you, to stand in front of the cameras, and give a very clear and honest assessment of what happened in the game.
"And this is what I did, reflect very openly on how I felt that the team played and how the game was conditioned by this results with the decisions that were made. It is the duty.
"My duty is to be defending my players, supporting my players, supporting my club, defending my people in the best possible way and this is what I am going to time after time.
"I do it, not the way I feel, (but) with the evidence and being as clear as possible. And I always do it, when we play real I need to say it, when we have lost, to take my responsibility, the first one is me to do it. It is the way that I am and I have to defend my club."
"If you have a problem and you put it in your drawer, the problem is in the drawer and it's going to stink at some point"
Arteta suggested it is the duty of managers to discuss VAR and the issues it is currently presenting within the game.
"If you guys and everyone watching football are there, we have to give our opinion in an honest way and clear," he added.
"Don’t talk about other things. Be very clear and respectful, but clear and honest and value what we have.
"Errors are part of evolution. The trajectory is never going to be like this (gestures straight up), there are always going to be bumps in the road and these things are necessary to improve the game in the right way.
"But we have to talk loudly. If you have a problem and you put it in your drawer, the problem is in the drawer and it’s going to stink at some point. If you have a problem, let’s talk about it, try to improve it. That’s what we are trying to do. Nothing else."
Arsenal’s statement claimed "yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors" occurred during the loss at Newcastle as the club "wholeheartedly supports" Arteta’s comments, stating players, coaches and supporters "deserve better".
The statement has been criticised in some quarters with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville labelling it "dangerous".
Arteta, though, believes it does not legitimise those who abuse referees for perceived poor decision-making against the club.
"No, the support we have given to everybody is not going to change. I will be in meetings trying to reinforce that," he said.
"This is not the topic. Everyone wants the same thing, but we have to understand that we (managers) have to be there.
"We have a duty to express how we feel with all the evidence we have and the history of what happened.
"We have to stand for our people, our values and who we are. When the club has done it, it’s been in very specific moments for the right reasons.
"It shows the unity and understanding that is within the club to position ourselves in a really clear and honest way. That’s our duty as a club."
Arteta was speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Sevilla, where victory on Wednesday night could see his side qualify for the knockout stages with two Group B games to go.
"The moment you have a chance in football to put it to bed, do it," he said of wrapping up qualification early.
"We have to do a lot of things right tomorrow to earn the right to win it and against a really good team with enormous experience in this competition.
"We have to prove it tomorrow in front of our people how excited we are to play that game and what it means for us."
Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos admits the appeal of Champions League football only added to the lure of an emotional return to Sevilla and is hoping injury will not rule him out of the trip to Arsenal.
The 37-year-old won the competition four times during a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid but is now back at his boyhood club following a stint with Paris St Germain.
The former Spain centre-back is currently struggling with a calf injury and could miss Sevilla’s crucial Group B clash in London. Defeat for the reigning Europa League champions would leave their chances of progression into the Champions League knockout stages on a knife-edge with two games remaining.
Ramos will no doubt be desperate to feature and help keep Sevilla’s ambitions alive after making the "passionate" decision to return to Sevilla after an 18-year absence.
"I had received offers of going abroad, to Saudi Arabia, for instance – but this was a debt I had to my club, to Sevilla, the first team where I triumphed," he said.
"This is also a personal debt towards my family, my parents, my grandparents – it’s very emotional, very passionate to me. This was a very personal decision, a decision made with the heart.
"The Champions League is something that everybody knows what it means, especially personally to me, when making a decision the Champions League is an important competition.
"Sevilla were playing in the Champions League and that was a plus in making such a decision.
"Arsenal are a consolidated team with young players with a well-defined style of play. They know what they play, and we know it will be a very very difficult game.
"Winning? Well, we know that Arsenal are an amazing team. But of course, the team will go there with the intention of taking the win, the three points home.
"We know how difficult it can be, but we will try to play a serious game, very concentrated to try to make sure that they don’t have a lot of opportunities and we take advantage of the ones we have."
