Emmanuel Adebayor has accused Alvaro Arbeloa of going down "as if I put a knife in him" following his controversial sending off in Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has also risked Football Association disciplinary action by describing Howard Webb's refereeing as "a joke" and claiming the official had employed two different sets of rules.
Adebayor received a second booking for a challenge on Arbeloa when he raised a foot to step over the ball and then lifted an arm to shield the ball. "He threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife in him," said Adebayor. "Of course I'm annoyed. I cannot say he cheated but what he did wasn't fair play. I hope when the referee goes home and watches it on the TV, he will see it was a foul but I didn't deserve a card. It was a mistake. He said it was for the leg but if I don't put my body in there I would never score a goal. We have to protect the ball."
Wenger, whose frustration was compounded by a knee injury to Cesc Fabregas, was also furious. "I would love to have sendings-off like that at home when we get kicked off the park," he said. "It was very soft. The first booking wasn't justified either. It is just unbelievable. If he sends Adebayor off, he has to send [Robbie] Keane off in the first half. We have two different rules.
"Every week, when we play away from home, you say: 'People get in your faces and you cannot cope.' Have you seen anybody sent off? Do you want me to show you our players after the game? It's a joke. We would have won. They [Liverpool players] know Adebayor didn't touch him. I can't tell you what I said to the fourth official at the end. It would be good for your newspapers, but not for me."
FA rules do not allow an appeal for a second yellow card, meaning Adebayor will miss the Boxing Day match at Aston Villa. Wenger is also waiting to discover the extent of the medial knee ligament damage to Fabregas following a challenge with Xabi Alonso. "It is difficult to assess – It could be one week or three weeks," he said.
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has also risked Football Association disciplinary action by describing Howard Webb's refereeing as "a joke" and claiming the official had employed two different sets of rules.
Adebayor received a second booking for a challenge on Arbeloa when he raised a foot to step over the ball and then lifted an arm to shield the ball. "He threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife in him," said Adebayor. "Of course I'm annoyed. I cannot say he cheated but what he did wasn't fair play. I hope when the referee goes home and watches it on the TV, he will see it was a foul but I didn't deserve a card. It was a mistake. He said it was for the leg but if I don't put my body in there I would never score a goal. We have to protect the ball."
Wenger, whose frustration was compounded by a knee injury to Cesc Fabregas, was also furious. "I would love to have sendings-off like that at home when we get kicked off the park," he said. "It was very soft. The first booking wasn't justified either. It is just unbelievable. If he sends Adebayor off, he has to send [Robbie] Keane off in the first half. We have two different rules.
"Every week, when we play away from home, you say: 'People get in your faces and you cannot cope.' Have you seen anybody sent off? Do you want me to show you our players after the game? It's a joke. We would have won. They [Liverpool players] know Adebayor didn't touch him. I can't tell you what I said to the fourth official at the end. It would be good for your newspapers, but not for me."
FA rules do not allow an appeal for a second yellow card, meaning Adebayor will miss the Boxing Day match at Aston Villa. Wenger is also waiting to discover the extent of the medial knee ligament damage to Fabregas following a challenge with Xabi Alonso. "It is difficult to assess – It could be one week or three weeks," he said.
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