Wednesday’s briefing: Arteta rues striker failure ahead of Carabao Cup semi-final

Mikel Arteta has voiced his frustration at Arsenal’s failure to sign a striker in the January transfer window while the Premier League have given details of VAR shortcomings.

There has also been some further transfer activity and Championship promotion-chasers Burnley have been in action.

Arteta had made clear his desire to bring in a new forward after Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for the remainder of the season through injury.

The title-chasing Gunners had been heavily linked with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins but no deal materialised before Monday’s deadline, leaving Kai Havertz as their sole recognised senior striker.

“We had a clear intention to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can impact it,” said Arteta. “And we haven’t achieved that so we are disappointed in that sense.

“We’re going to have to be very flexible with the front line. It’s not a gamble, it’s reality and we have to face the reality.

“I am not worried. Now I focus on the numbers that we have, how to maximise them, how to make the best out of them.”

The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel has reported there have been 13 VAR errors so far this season.

That is made up of four incorrect VAR interventions and nine missed interventions, the league said on Tuesday.

While it has not specified the missed interventions, the four occasions where it believes VAR intervened and the wrong decision was reached were revealed.

These were Dango Outtara’s disallowed late winner for Bournemouth against Newcastle in August, a penalty awarded to West Ham in their win over Manchester United in October, a red card for Brentford’s Christian Norgaard against Everton in November and Nikola Milenkovic’s disallowed goal for Nottingham Forest