Arsene Wenger fumes at hothead Francis Coquelin ‘who cost Gunners’
Arsenal manager blames midfielder for needless red card leaving them with 10 men, giving Tottenham Hotspur opportunities to score and finish with a 2-2 draw
Francis Coquelin’s needless red card cost Arsenal victory against Premier League title rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, manager Arsene Wenger said after an absorbing North London derby ended 2-2.
Arsenal, desperate to get their title ambitions back on track after consecutive league defeats, were leading through Aaron Ramsey’s deft 39th-minute flick and looked in control.
But the game changed when French midfielder Coquelin, who has already been yellow-carded for handball, rashly scythed down Harry Kane when the Spurs striker was posing no threat to goal.
We warned him at half-time as well. It was a mistake. He wanted to do well and mistimed his tackle and got sent off
Within seven minutes of Coquelin’s rush of blood, Tottenham were leading through goals from Toby Alderweireld and Kane.
Alexis Sanchez rescued a point as he ended an 11-match run without a league goal, keeping third-placed Arsenal firmly in the title race, albeit three points behind Tottenham and potentially six behind Leicester City if the leaders win a late kick-off at Watford.
“I’m happy and proud of our attitude, we refused to lose the game,” Wenger said as his side avoided four straight defeats in all competitions for the first time since 2002.
“But we have big regrets because I couldn’t see when it was 11 versus 11 how we would drop points today. We made a big mistake at 1-0. [Coquelin] knows he made a mistake.