Mikel Arteta said Manchester City and Newcastle should have each had a man sent off in Arsenal's latest two matches, adding "the world would be different" if the correct decisions had been made.
The Gunners moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday after Eberechi Eze's ninth-minute strike was enough to give them a scrappy 1-0 win over Newcastle at Emirates Stadium.
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However, Arteta was furious as Nick Pope escaped with a yellow card after fouling substitute Viktor Gyökeres with 16 minutes remaining. A brief VAR check upheld referee Sam Barratt's on-field decision.
It comes a week after Arsenal lost a tight game at City 2-1 during which Havertz was challenged by Abdukodir Khusanov when the scores were level. Referee Anthony Taylor waved play on.
"I have to say as well in my opinion, it is a clear red card," Arsenal manager Arteta said of the Pope challenge.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was unhappy with the referee despite the win over Newcastle. John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images "I have watched it 10 times. If you have ever played football, it is a red card. It is the second time in two games because against Manchester City when Kai Havertz goes through and Khusanov's fouling him at 1-1, the title is there. It is a red card.
"So these are the margins as well. Hopefully that is going to change. Everyone will have their opinion, I am here to give my opinion.
"I'm somebody who has been in the game for the long time. You talk to any of the players because the trajectory, where the ball is, there is no keeper there. If that had happened the other way around, it is a red card."
Asked if he felt big decisions were going against his team too often, Arteta said: "I am saying the reality of the last two games at crucial moments when everything is at stake, we need everything to go our way and it hasn't.
"I am not giving any excuses. I am the first one to understand. I didn't talk about it when we lost the game. I am doing it when we won. It is a red card today. It is a red card in Manchester and the world is different. That's it."
Both Havertz and Eze left the field with injuries but Arteta said it was too early to determine whether they would be fit for Wednesday's Champions League semifinal, first leg at Atlético Madrid.
"They are muscular niggles," said Arteta. "We don't think it's too much. We have to wait and see if they're going to be available for Wednesday."