Simon Jordan slams Mikel Arteta's 'double standards' after referee U-turn

The talkSPORT co-host did not hold back as he responded to the Arsenal boss' reaction to the abuse received by referee Michael Oliver.

After sending off Myles Lewis-Skelly during the Gunners' win over Wolves on Saturday, Oliver has been subjected to threats and abuse on social media.

Meanwhile, Lewis-Skelly's red card has since been overturned by the FA on appeal.

Arteta was asked about the abuse as he spoke to reporters on Tuesday and condemned the threats made towards Oliver.

Speaking ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Girona, he explained: "[It] leaves a bad taste and makes people's lives more difficult. Let's get it out, let's kick it out."

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Asked if it was a message to Arsenal fans, Arteta added: "It's for everyone in football, it should not be permitted.

"We don't want it, we don't need it and it certainly damages our sport. Let's get it out."

The Spaniard continued: "We have put in laws, measures and regulations for that kind of thing [abuse] but we haven't done it [on social media].

"We are all talking about it, but no-one seems to be moving strongly enough and bringing people with them to get that out of the game, because it's just unacceptable."

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However, his comments have been labelled as 'hypocrisy' by Jordan.

The former Crystal Palace chairman told White & Jordan: "This is a manager that a year ago, started the conversation because he didn't like a decision at Newcastle by saying 'these are the worst referees in Europe, these are the worst standards'.

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"And you start that level of hysteria and then you've got the ridiculous end of the fringe, the extreme idiots, you know, the ones that go onto social media and start threatening people that pick up that thread.

"I don't excuse their behaviour but if you've got senior managers coming out and saying these sort of statements, which by the way ain't true, because then we've got a litany of European decisions that proved that the European referees were just as bad if not worse.

"So there was an element of hypocrisy about this wonderful new double standard of how he's now got his way because Arsenal have had it overturned."

Arteta labelled the decision to award a goal to Newcastle a 'disgrace' after his side's loss at St. James' Park in November 2023.

Meanwhile, Jordan added: "There is an element of double standards and hypocrisy about someone who says the things when it suits them and now plays the card of 'I'm the reasonable person in the room'.

"These managers, these pundits, that go on television and scream and shout about referees and take them to the lowest common denominator are now the ones that potentially stand there saying, well you know."