...BUT EVEN HIS LATE GOAL CAN’T SAVE GUNNERS OR HALT ANGRY WENGER TIRADE
It was a record day for Wenger but the Gunners chief ended it fuming after a terrible penalty decision cost his side the win
FURIOUS Arsene Wenger ended his landmark game with a blast at Premier League refereeing.
Wenger, taking charge of his 811th Premier League match, was raging after Mike Dean gave a penalty for a soft handball against Calum Chambers.
The Gunners boss also took aim at the match schedule, unhappy that Arsenal are back in action again on
ARSENE WENGER went down in history with this game but he will not remember it fondly.
Wenger was in the Gunners dug-out yesterday for a record 811th occasion in the Premier League, overtaking his old nemesis Sir Alex Ferguson.
But it would have been a heck of lot sweeter had Arsenal secured him a 469th victory.
It looked nailed on after Alexis Sanchez scored with a late deflected free-kick.
Every single outfield Arsenal player celebrated with the Chilean, as though responding to Thierry Henry’s recent claims about a divided dressing room.
Wenger himself clenched his fists in delight on the touchline.
West Brom, who were bottom when they kicked off, had scored only 14 goals all season. And despite their brave play, an equaliser looked highly unlikely once they trailed. But neither Wenger nor Arsenal had counted on referee Mike Dean pointing to the spot in the 89th minute. Kieran Gibbs didn’t even initially appeal when his cross hit Calum Chambers before going behind for a corner. Chambers was so close to Gibbs it is hard to see how it could have been deliberate hand-ball. Yet Dean pointed to the spot and Baggies striker Jay Rodriguez fired low into the net.
It actually made for a fair outcome given Albion’s spirited play which belied their lowly position and 18-match winless run. But even the usually calm Gunners keeper Petr Cech was booked after the final whistle for protesting.
And both the draw, and the manner of it, were highly frustrating for Wenger and his side.
Earlier, Cech was called into action to save Rodriguez’s header from Matt Phillips’ cross in the sixth minute.
But Arsenal created the better chances and Alexandre Lacazette had a shot deflected wide after a break. Then in the 16th minute Alex Iwobi curled a right-foot effort over from just inside the area after a clever ball from Sanchez.
There were warning signs for the hosts as Arsenal broke with purpose and Granit Xhaka ended up firing in a shot at Ben Foster. Ex-England keeper Foster was called into action again in the 30th minute to push a powerful shot by Iwobi behind for a corner.
Foster had to be sharp again in the 60th minute after another smart turn and low shot from Lacazette. Two minutes later Lacazette poked Sanchez’s pass past the post.
It looked as though the Gunners had secured victory when Sanchez’s free-kick beat Foster via a deflection off sub James McClean, who turned his back on the shot.
But Rodriguez levelled it up from Albion’s first penalty since September 2016.
Despite Wenger’s complaints, perhaps it was also justice after the Baggies went down 2-0 at Arsenal in September.
Back then Rodriguez was allowed to play on after being clearly brought down by Shkodran Mustafi in the box with the scores level at 0-0.
He didn’t get a penalty on that occasion but this time he found the back of the net from the spot for his third top-flight goal of the season.