Hackett Backs Arteta Over Aina Penalty Farce as Arsenal Draw Blank Again

Keith Hackett, the former FIFA referee and ex-PGMOL chief, has waded into the controversy surrounding Arsenal's denied penalty against Nottingham Forest, backing manager Mikel Arteta's fury over the incident.

The Gunners came away from the City Ground with nothing after drawing a blank for the second consecutive Premier League outing, with the hosts holding firm in their struggle to beat the drop. But the real talking point came late in the contest when Ola Aina appeared to handle the ball in the box to prevent what looked destined for a corner.

Referee Michael Oliver waved away Arsenal's appeals, a decision the Premier League Match Centre subsequently backed up. The official explanation: VAR had confirmed the ball struck Aina's shoulder first, with his arm positioned naturally.

Arteta was having none of it. "I saw it live, I saw it here, and I saw it now again. It is very unnecessary, but he brings the ball with his hand, so it's a clear penalty," the Arsenal boss said post-match.

Hackett shares that view entirely. Speaking to Football Insider, the respected official argued that Aina's movement was deliberate rather than accidental. "The player has deliberately moved his hand towards the ball and committed a handling offence. Therefore, a penalty kick should have been awarded. You should regard the shoulder as part of the body, just like the foot. This is not a deflection off the body, but a deliberate play. A penalty should have been awarded."

The frustration for Arteta runs deeper than just the penalty, though. Arsenal carved out multiple gilt-edged opportunities—Martinelli's open goal, a Declan Rice tap-in, headers from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka all spurned—yet still couldn't find the back of the net.

"We created four massive chances," Arteta reflected. "And on top of that, obviously, a very clear penalty in the box that is not being given. So, without conceding a single shot on target, again, the fact that we haven't won the game with that is disappointing."

With Manchester City having slipped up to Manchester United earlier in the day, Arteta acknowledged the need to view the point as something salvaged rather than lost. "We have to do that, try to learn and improve. This league shows how difficult it is, nobody is winning, winning, winning because it's so tough," he said.

Still, on a day when Nottingham Forest's defensive discipline and Arsenal's clinical shortcomings proved decisive, the penalty call will linger as the match's defining moment—and Hackett's intervention suggests the debate is far from settled.