Mikel Arteta will have to deal with ANOTHER new ball in Man United FA Cup clash – days after Arsenal boss bizarrely blamed the one used in Carabao Cup tie vs Newcastle as a reason for their defeat

Arsenal will have to deal with another new ball in their FA Cup tie against Manchester United on Sunday, days after boss Mikel Arteta’s bizarre excuses about the one used in their defeat by Newcastle.

The Gunners were beaten 2-0 by the Magpies in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates on Tuesday as the in-form Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon got on the scoresheet.

Arsenal dominated much of the clash, but were toothless in attack, with the Gunners mustering 23 shots, yet just three of these were on target.

And, speaking after the game, Arteta bizarrely brought up the match ball when breaking down his side’s defeat.

He said: ‘We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it’s tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better.

‘But at the end that’s gone, there’s no way back (and) it’s about the next game and that’s our world, the reality.’

The Gunners lost 2-0 to the Magpies and Arteta pointed to the ball as a reason for their loss

A special ball will be used to celebrate the fact that United are current holders of the FA Cup

When pressed further on the issue, Arteta added: ‘No, it’s just different. It’s very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that.

‘It flies different… when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.’

And, perhaps adding to Arteta’s frustrations, Mitre – who supply the balls for the FA Cup – have unveiled that a customised one will be used in Arsenal’s third round clash against United this weekend.

This is to celebrate the fact that the Red Devils are the current holders of the competition, having beaten arch-rivals Man City in last year’s final. 

The ball is only slightly different to the usual one used in the FA Cup, with it set to have gold accents across its surface. 

It will be the third ball the Gunners have dealt with in three matches, given the use of the Premier League one in last weekend’s top flight clash against Brighton.

Arteta’s comments on the Carabao Cup ball came after Pep Guardiola branded the Mitre ball used in a Carabao Cup last-16 tie victory against Wolves in October 2017, as ‘highly unacceptable’, during a time when the Gunners boss was the Spaniard’s No 2.

Meanwhile, speaking on Wednesday, the EFL responded to Arteta’s comments, revealing the Arsenal boss is the first to have expressed concerns over the match ball.

The ball is slightly different to the usual one used, with it set to have gold accents across it

United beat arch-rivals Man City 2-1 in the FA Cup final at the end of the 2023-24 season

 ‘As is required throughout the professional game, the PUMA ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup and in EFL competition since 2021-22 is tested in accordance with the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs and meets the FIFA Quality Pro standard,’ an EFL spokesperson said.

‘In addition to the Carabao Cup, the same ball has been successfully used in other major European leagues, including Serie A and La Liga and our three divisions in the EFL.

‘All clubs play with the same ball, and we have received no further comments of this nature following any of the previous 88 fixtures which have taken place in this season’s Carabao Cup.’

Arteta’s comments left many fans and pundits bemused, with both Jamie Redknapp and Michael Dawson hitting out at the Arsenal boss on Sky Sports on Wednesday.

‘We were there last night, I was amazed he came out with that,’ Redknapp said. ‘I was disappointed he said it when we were on air.

‘We have all heard excuses. I get it is different because of the Nike ball compared to the puma ball, but the only problem he has got next year is that it the Puma ball will be used in the Premier League.’

Dawson, meanwhile, backed up Redknapp’s claim, and suggested that Arteta was simply looking for something to blame for his side’s defeat.

‘There is a difference, but would I have come out and said it after last night’s performance?,’ Dawson said. ‘Definitely not.

‘Mikel Arteta is making excuses. They will have trained with that ball, there is no doubt about that. I experienced it in 2010 at the South Africa World Cup (with the Jabulani ball).

‘You can’t make those excuses, they didn’t miss the chances or put in a performance like that because of it.

‘I was surprised he came out and said it.’