Gary Neville accuses Mikel Arteta of influencing Arsenal fans to claim referees are 'corrupt and cheating' - as he defends under-fire Michael Oliver
Gary Neville accuses Mikel Arteta of influencing Arsenal fans to claim referees are 'corrupt and cheating' - as he defends under-fire Michael Oliver
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Gary Neville has accused Mikel Arteta of fueling Arsenal fans' growing hostility towards referees, warning that the club's approach is contributing to a toxic online culture. The pundit's comments come in the wake of referee Michael Oliver receiving death threats and abuse following Arsenal's controversial 1-0 win over Wolves last weekend.
![[Oliver controversially sent off Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly during their 1-0 win at Wolves]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/30/07/94588977-14341303-Oliver_controversially_sent_off_Arsenal_s_Myles_Lewis_Skelly_dur-a-13_1738222959377.jpg)
Speaking about the reaction to Oliver's performance, Neville highlighted how Arsenal's rhetoric—particularly from Arteta and prominent fans—has led to dangerous accusations of corruption against referees. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Neville said: 'They [Arsenal fans] use language like corruption, which means they think he's getting paid and bought off – which is obviously not the case.
![[Neville highlighted how Arsenal's rhetoric—particularly from Arteta and prominent fans—has led to dangerous accusations of corruption against referees]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/30/07/94589017-14341303-Arsenal_boss_Mikel_Arteta_said_he_was_fuming_and_expected_the_de-a-12_1738222943655.jpg)
'We [at Manchester United] lived in a club which created a siege mentality about the referees. Arsenal are doing a bit of that as well – there's no doubt that what Arsenal do is inflame the situation after the game rather than calm it down, they've done that for 12 months – but we can't say that's wrong having played in the dressing room that we did.'.
![[Arteta's Arsenal side are currently sitting second in the Premier League table behind Liverpool]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/30/07/94670123-14341303-image-a-15_1738223095738.jpg)
'The difference is now with social media, when we were playing back in the day and doing similar things with referees, we weren't inflaming what would be a cause of corruption on social media. Gary Neville has accused Mikel Arteta of fueling Arsenal fans' growing hostility towards referees, warning that the club's approach is contributing to a toxic online culture.
