Burnley 1-1 Arsenal: Xhaka Clanger Costs Gunners Amid Late Handball Drama

Granit Xhaka’s clanger saw Arsenal throw away a lead as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley at Turf Moor amid late controversy.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had put the Gunners ahead in a first-half which they dominated, but Xhaka gifted the hosts a leveller before the break by firing straight against Clarets striker Chris Wood, the ball deflecting into an empty net.

The visitors were harshly denied a late penalty for handball against Erik Pieters before, in a separate incident minutes later, the same player was deemed to have handled and shown a red card, only for VAR to correctly overrule the decision.

Arteta’s side had taken a sixth minute lead when Willian ran at Burnley defence and fed Aubameyang, whose low shot snuck in at the near post despite Burnley keeper Nick Pope getting a hand to the ball.

Mikel Arteta’s side looked comfortably in charge of the game until a shocking mistake six minutes before the break.

Arsenal attempted to play the ball out from the back with keeper Bernd Leno passing to Xhaka deep in the penalty area, but the Swiss international’s attempted pass to David Luiz struck Wood and ricocheted into the net.

Minutes later, Andre Marriner did award a penalty after Pepe’s volley was diverted onto the bar by Pieters and the Burnley man was shown a red card, but VAR correctly showed the ball had hit his shoulder, not arm, and the decision was overturned.

The Gunners hard-luck story was compounded deep into stoppage time when a penalty box scramble ended with Dani Ceballos thundering a strike off the post.

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