Sunderland vs Arsenal: Niall Quinn slated after claiming both penalty calls should have been given

The former Arsenal and Sunderland striker was commentating on the Premier League encounter

Former Sunderland and Arsenal striker Niall Quinn (Getty)

Both Sunderland and Arsenal had penalty claims rejected by referee Mike Dean during the first half of their Premier League encounter at the Stadium of Light, with each team believing they should have had spot kicks due to handballs in the penalty area.

Sunderland were the first to feel aggrieved when a mistake from Hector Bellerin allowed Jermain Defoe to rifle a shot at goal towards Per Mertesacker, with the ball hitting the Arsenal defender on the arm and deflecting clear.

Minutes later, it was the Gunners who felt they had a strong case for a penalty when Alex Iwobi’s effort at goal deflected off DeAndre Yedlin’s foot and into his arm, though Dean ignored the protestations from the away side.

However, one man who disagreed with Moss was Sky Sports co-commentator Niall Quinn, with the former Arsenal and Sunderland striker claiming that both should have been given. Twitter users didn’t agree with him though, and Quinn was soon enough trending in the United Kingdom for his commentary.

With Sunderland fighting for Premier League survival, the two decisions could have a big impact come the end of the season. The Blacks Cats can overtake Norwich and escape the relegation zone with a draw, while victory would put them two points ahead of the Canaries and three ahead of 19th-placed Newcastle while maintaining a game in hand over their North-East rivals.