Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has criticised referee Mike Dean for his performance during their 0-2 loss to Chelsea, reports the Daily Mail.
The official sent off both Gabriel Paulista and Santi Cazorla in the encounter. Meanwhile Blues ace Diego Costa stayed on the pitch despite being involved in several incidents. In particular, Gabriel was shown a red card for retaliating after the striker slapped and bodychecked Laurent Koscielny just before half time.
Costa could still be given a three-match ban if Dean admits that he didn’t see the Koscielny incident. Wenger believes that this should be considered.
“That is the least they can do,” said the Frenchman, “But he will do the same again next week and the week after and he always gets away with it. He can do what he wants and he stays on. Everyone else that responds to him has to be sent off. It’s unacceptable. If you look at the pictures and what he does to Koscielny before: he pushes him down and hits him in the face.
“He always gets away with it. Honestly, it is surprising. I don’t understand Mike Dean’s decision at all. Not on the sending off but why does Diego Costa stay on the pitch and Gabriel is sent off? I accept Gabriel shouldn’t react at all. But for me, he is always provoking and also uses the naivety of Mike Dean in this game.”
The defeat was very damaging for the Gunners, who will have been hoping to pile more misery on their rivals after their poor start. Before the game at the Emirates Stadium, Jose Mourinho’s side had only one win to their name, against West Brom.
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However, having beaten the North Londoners, the Premier League champions appear to be on the road to recovery. Title rivals Manchester City’s 1-2 loss to West Ham will also give the Blues hope of catching them.