Arbeloa Reacted Like I’d ‘Put A Knife In Him’ – Adebayor

Angry Emmanuel Adebayor has accused Alvaro Arbeloa of acting as though the Arsenal man “had put a knife in him” following a stormy encounter at the Emirates.

Adebayor was sent off for a second bookable offence on 63 minutes of the 1-1 draw after clashing with Liverpool defender Arbeloa.

The Arsenal striker had already been cautioned during the first half for a foul on Emiliano Insua when he challenged strongly on Arbeloa. And an unhappy Adebayor believes the Spain international’s reaction influenced referee Howard Webb into sending him off.

“The defender threw himself on the floor as if I had put a knife in him, “said the forward. “Of course I am annoyed. We are all here to play and if you win or lose then you want to do it with 11 players on the pitch.

“I cannot say the defender cheated but what he did was not fair play at all.”

Adebayor accepted the tackle was a foul but added: “I hope when the referee gets home and watches it on the television, he will see it was a foul but I did not deserve a card. I was at risk from him. The referee said it was for the leg but if you don’t put your body in there then I would never score a goal in this league.

“We have to protect the ball which is normal and that’s what I tried to do.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was similarly angered by the decision to dismiss Adebayor.

“It was a very soft sending-off,” said Wenger. “Whenever we play away from home, we’re told that teams will get in our face and that we are up against it and we just have to deal with it. It’s a joke. I don’t think either of the bookings were justified. It is unbelievable. If he sends Adebayor off then he has to send Keane off earlier on.

“Ask Arbeloa what he did to him. They know he didn’t touch him.”

Wenger added sarcastically: “I have seen Arbeloa after the game and he has a blue face everywhere.”

Despite still being eight points behind leaders Liverpool, Wenger believes his team can still win the title because the Anfield outfit will drop “a lot of points” between now and the end of the season.

“The title is won in May and it’s only December,” said the Frenchman. “Mathematically we will fight until the very end. I believe that Liverpool will drop many points, I am convinced of that. Liverpool have already dropped lots of points, four draws at home, that’s eight points. Why should they not drop eight points again in the second half of the season?”

Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee, deputising for the absent Rafael Benitez, also believes Arsenal remain championship contenders.

“We haven’t knocked Arsenal out the title race,” he said. “I don’t know anything that has been won and lost in December. Arsenal are a great football team and have great quality throughout and it would be remiss of me to say they are out of the title race.”

As well as seeing Adebayor dismissed, Wenger revealed Cesc Fabregas was forced off at half-time with a medial knee ligament problem following a tackle by fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso, that could sideline the midfielder for several weeks.

And of the game, Wenger added: “We had a nervy start and we weren’t in control enough. In the second half we played higher up and you could see we got much more control of the game, we could have won the game.

“It’s very disappointing. We had great spirit and great strength and great commitment. I’m not happy with the defending for their goal.”