Mikel Arteta accepts Arsenal’s changed approach to referees following Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka decisions.

What a difference a few months makes.

It’s not so long ago that Mikel Arteta was seen as the bad boy of Premier League managers. The Arsenal boss had drawn plenty of criticism for his behaviour on the touchline towards officials, before it all reached a crescendo in November’s defeat to Newcastle.

“Embarrassing, it’s an absolute disgrace, that’s what it is: a disgrace,” Arteta said after Newcastle’s winning goal was not overturned despite four separate VAR checks.

“There’s so much at stake, we’ve put in so many hours to compete at the highest level and you cannot imagine the amount of messages we’ve had saying this cannot continue. It’s embarrassing.

“It’s unacceptable; there’s too much at stake. I do not want to be in the hands of these individuals. I’m not sure how to feel. I am squandering time, and so are we.

It’s challenging enough to compete against Newcastle, who are a very talented team, but let’s talk about how the hell this goal stood. It’s a total disgrace that it was allowed. There are several reasons why it should not be a goal.

“I’ve been in this nation for almost 20 years, and the officiating is nowhere near the level of the top league in the world. I feel awful about being a part of this. I feel ill. It’s not a goal.

Cut to Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Bournemouth, and the Arsenal manager’s mentality couldn’t be more different.

Admittedly, the conditions were less tense. Arteta had just witnessed his team’s impressive victory over a team ranked fifth in the Premier League form table. However, the game did include a few controversial decisions.

Not least, Ryan Christie committed an early foul on Bukayo Saka. When he went for a bouncing ball, the Scottish international was high and late, drawing blood from Saka’s shin. It was a decision that could have resulted in a red card, much alone a booking, and a much easier afternoon for Arsenal given the score was 0-0 at the time.

When asked about it at full time, Arteta was unusually quiet.

“To be honest, I haven’t seen any of the incidents because I knew you’d ask,” Arteta stated in his post-match press conference. “I did this on purpose. The analysts asked if I wanted to view it, and I declined since then I could tell the truth.

“I haven’t seen them, so I can’t comment or give an impression. I can’t see David’s foul since it’s too far away. Is the one on Saka on purpose? I’m not sure, so it’s tough for me to judge.”

This is similar with Arteta’s refusal to comment on the controversial decision not to give Arsenal a penalty in the dying moments of their Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Bayern Munich.

The Spaniard acknowledged to seeking management counsel from Arsene Wenger, and this was on full display when he said the iconic words: “I didn’t see it.”

Arteta couldn’t express himself freely on later decisions.

It works both ways, of course. Arteta’s reticence to comment on referee calls allows him to play stupid when decisions go his way.

There are many who believe Bournemouth should not have had a goal disallowed for a challenge on David Raya, or that Kai Havertz should not have been awarded the penalty that broke the deadlock against Bournemouth after the German left his leg trailing to make contact with the onrushing Mark Travers.

However, Arteta was able to deflect with ease. “I don’t know,” he replied when asked if Havertz had gotten off easy. “Kai is not someone that dives but I haven’t seen the image.”

Arteta’s adjustment isn’t subtle, and the true test will come if Newcastle’s stakes rise again. However, the Spaniard will be aware that this new approach has avoided a potential storm of criticism for his team. People forget that Arteta is still a young manager, and he appears to be learning here.

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