Mikel Arteta furious over game-changing moment in Arsenal defeat to Wolves

Arsenal manager Mikel has been left furious by the game-changing red card for David Luiz and penalty decision in his side’s Premier League defeat to Wolves on Tuesday night.

The Gunners went ahead after half an hour through Nicolas Pepe, but Luiz was shown a red card in first half stoppage time when he was deemed to have clipped the heel of Wolves striker Willian Jose in the penalty area, although Arteta is adamant there was no contact.

David Luiz getting sent off changed the game | NICK POTTS/Getty Images

Luiz was giving his marching orders for denying a goalscoring opportunity and Ruben Neves converted the spot-kick for Wolves. Joao Moutinho then rifled in a long-range stunner to put Wolves ahead shortly after half-time, while Arsenal had to finish the game with nine players after goalkeeper Bernd Leno handled the ball outside his penalty area.

“If you play with 10 men for 45 minutes in the Premier League without a central defender against this opposition, of course it changes the game,” Arteta lamented, via Arsenal.com.

“We tried. We were really animated at half-time because we wanted to win the game. The boys were so convinced about going out there and giving it a real go. We didn't concede any chances but Moutinho scored a worldie. It's 2-1 and then when Bernd comes out and hits the ball with his hands, it's a second red card, we're down to nine players and it's almost impossible to win the game.”

While Arteta accepted the Moutinho winner and Leno’s red card, the Arsenal boss was seething that the on-field referee and VAR official awarded a penalty and sent Luiz off, insisting he could not see whatever they had seen to make that decision.

“I'm sure that they made the decision based on them seeing something. Unfortunately, I'm sitting here expecting to see something and I'm not seeing anything,” Arteta said.

“If there's any contact, it's [Willian Jose] with David. That’s where the disappointment is coming from. It’s hard enough to win football matches in the league and those big decisions are like that

“If they justify that they got it right, I will put my hands up and apologise, but the only thing I’m seeing is that I’m sitting here and I cannot see any contact, and that’s really, really frustrating because it was a big, big moment in the game.”


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Source : 90min