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Arsenal will ask Pro Ref for an explanation over the penalty given against them during their Premier League victory away at Sunderland.

Manager Mikel Arteta called referee John Brooks’ decision to punish Ezri Konsa for what was judged to be a foul on Dan Ballard, with VAR choosing not to step in, “unacceptable”.

It is understood the Premier League champions will approach refereeing body Pro Ref to get clarity on the key second-half incident.

The penalty was taken by Enzo Le Fee and superbly saved by David Raya, before Bruno Guimaraes and Bukayo Saka struck in a 2-0 win that preserved Arsenal’s 100 per cent start to the season.

Arteta, though, was angered by the call, saying it could have ended up costing his side the result at the Stadium of Light.

Mikel Arteta was furious with the decision to award Sunderland a penalty.

“It is not acceptable,” he said. “I watched it 20 times and I cannot find a way to understand how they’d think to give a penalty in that situation or the way the VAR has to intervene.

“At this level with all the work we put in, this cannot happen.”

The controversy comes after Pro Ref admitted VAR made an “error in judgement” in allowing Erling Haaland’s controversial winner in the Manchester derby on Sunday.

Haaland was first flagged offside when he turned in Josko Gvardiol’s deflected cross from the left to put Manchester City in front, but VAR intervened after a lengthy review and awarded the goal, ruling that Haaland was level with Patrick Dorgu’s foot.

Arsenal’s demand for an explanation follows Pro Ref’s admission of an error in awarding Erling Haaland’s derby winner.

Enzo Fernandez, however, was in an offside position and appeared to interfere with play by lunging to try and reach the ball. The Premier League Match Centre said that because Fernandez did not make contact with the ball, the goal was allowed to stand, a decision that defender Lisandro Martinez described as an “injustice”.

Just hours after the match, Pro Ref issued a statement confirming the goal should not have been allowed and that Manchester United had been contacted.