Dermot Gallagher unimpressed by Mikel Arteta mocking Simon Hooper this weekend

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Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has slammed Mikel Arteta for his behaviour on the touchline at Aston Villa this weekend.

Arteta was caught on camera mocking Simon Hooper for signalling a moving ball and pulling the game back.

The clip has done the rounds on social media and drawn plenty of attention as usual. Of course, it’s not the first time Arteta’s touchline antics have been under the spotlight. Richard Keys has continually criticised the Arsenal boss this season.

And speaking on Sky Sports earlier today, former ref Gallagher said that what Arteta did was unnecessary, labelling it a poor advert for the game.

“I think if the fourth official had felt it was untoward he’d have drawn it to the referees attention and probably a yellow card. But it’s not a good advert, is it? We don’t want to see that,” Gallagher said.

Arteta has become one of the most animated managers in the Premier League. At times, he seems to be completely unable to help himself when it comes to getting involved in the game.

He’s had more than one run-in with referees, too. The weekend before, he actively criticised VAR and the officials to the press after an error against Brentford.

TBR’s View: Arteta is ruining himself a bit

It’s all well and good having a bit of passion and wanting to win, but Mikel Arteta is definitely overstepping the mark at times.

He clearly loves his Arsenal side. And that is admirable in that he seems to do anything to defend his squad.

But this was tasteless. After criticising the refs last week, it would be nice if he came out this time and apologised for getting carried away. It was probably a heat of the moment thing that anyone could do. But Gallagher is right, it’s a bad look really.