The EFL have defended the ball used in this season's Carabao Cup after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta suggested it had played a role in their missed chances against Newcastle.
Arsenal suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening.
The Gunners scored 23 shots at the Emirates but had just three attempts on target, with Kai Havertz producing a glaring miss when he misjudged a header and pushed the ball wide.
“We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's difficult that these balls fly a lot, so there are details that we can do better,” Arteta said after the match.
'But in the end that's gone, there's no way back. It's about the next game and that's our world, reality.'
Addressing the issue further, Arteta added: 'No, it's just different. It's very different to Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that.
“It flies differently… when you touch it, the grip is very different, so you have to adapt to that.”
In the Carabao Cup a Puma ball is used, while in the Premier League a Nike ball is used.
Clubs are given balls to train with before EFL Cup matches.
The EFL has responded to Arteta's comments, revealing the Arsenal boss is the first to raise concerns about the match ball.
'As required during the professional game, the PUMA ball used in the Carabao Cup this season and in the EFL competition since 2021-2022 has been tested in accordance with the FIFA Quality Program for Football and complies with the FIFA Quality Pro- standard,” an EFL spokesperson said. .
'In addition to the Carabao Cup, the same ball has been used successfully in other major European competitions, including Serie A and La Liga and our three divisions in the EFL.
“All clubs are playing with the same ball, and we have not received any further comments of this nature following the previous 88 matches that have taken place in the Carabao Cup this season.”
Puma will become the official match ball of Premier League matches from next season, with the top player having chosen to switch from Nike after 25 years.
When Arteta was assistant manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola branded the Miter ball used in a Carabao Cup last-16 win against Wolves in October 2017 as 'highly unacceptable'.
Arsenal will play with a third ball in three matches, with a Miter ball being used in the FA Cup third round against Manchester United this weekend.
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