Wenger slams schedule, refs

– Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (above) has hit out at the Premier League fixture schedulers who he claims have handed Chelsea a pre-match advantage ahead of their London derby tomorrow.

Wenger launched a tirade against the fixture list and the standard of Premier League refereeing after his side were held to a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, with even Gunners legend Thierry Henry coming under fire from the Frenchman.

Wenger broke Sir Alex Ferguson’s record of 810 Premier League games as a manager, but he was in no mood to celebrate as he looked ahead to his side’s next game.

“You cannot give West Brom five days to prepare for a game like that when we have three,” said Wenger.

“I am ready to play every day as long as our opponent has played the same time recovery over Christmas. It is not normal.

“We have the same problem against Chelsea. They played yesterday (Saturday), we played today (Sunday), they have one day more again.”

A late penalty from Jay Rodriguez rescued a draw for West Brom after Calum Chambers was penalised for handball in a decision that even West Brom boss Alan Pardew admitted was “tough”.

“It wasn’t a penalty,” said Wenger at the start of a wide-ranging rant. “It was not a deliberate handball.

“He (Chambers) didn’t lift his hand. It was down. Where do you put your hands? You have no pockets in your shorts.

“The referee has not seen it. That’s my opinion, he will tell you that he has seen it. Ask him.

“I don’t want to waste my time with them, we have to live with the decision, to deal with it and to swallow it and go to the next game.

“I’m angry because we have seen and seen the same things again. I did fight very hard for the referees to become professional many years ago with (then Arsenal chairman) David Dein, and they did a good job to allow them to be professional.” – AFP

I am ready to play every day as long as our opponent has played the same time recovery over Christmas. Arsene Wenger