Milan no match for Arsenal as Danny’s dive turns the tide
PERHAPS Arsene Wenger knew more than he was letting on when he addressed the issue of diving last month.
‘English players have learned very quickly and might be the masters now,’ he said, tempted into the debate raging around Tottenham star Dele Alli’s habit of falling inside the penalty area.
Last night, Arsenal reached the last eight of the Europa League thanks in no small part to the tumbling skills of Danny Welbeck and a decision which launched Rino Gattuso and several of his AC Milan players through the spectrum of rage.
Former Rangers midfielder Gattuso was still seething at half-time, hounding referee Jonas Eriksson down the tunnel having seen his team take the lead on the night with a sweet strike by Hakan Calhanoglu.
No sooner were the Italians back in the tie, however, than Welbeck darted into the penalty area at the other end, collected a pass from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, searched for contact from Ricardo Rodriguez and went down.
Eriksson seemed prepared to ignore the appeals, only to be change his mind on the advice of one of his additional assistants. Stefan Johannesson had been standing beside the goal when Welbeck fell at his feet.
No one in the ground could have had a better view and yet there was no evidence of any contact as the incident was replayed on TV.
Wenger said: ‘When I watch the penalty, I will give you an honest answer. I don’t want to accuse Danny of diving before I see it again.’
The striker was back on his feet to convert from the spot and Granit Xhaka extended the aggregate lead in the second half with a shot which should have been saved, but was pushed into the net by Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Welbeck made it 3-1 on the night with a header late on.
Arsenal were joined in the last eight by Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Marseille, Lazio, RB Salzburg, Sporting Lisbon and CSKA Moscow, with the draw taking place today.