Wenger woe

STOKE 1 ARSENAL 0

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger complained his side had been denied a goal and a penalty by incorrect decisions from the match officials in the 1-0 loss at Stoke.

Wenger claimed a 72nd-minute Alexandre Lacazette effort that was ruled out for offside should have stood “100 per cent”.

And he also protested that referee Andre Marriner was wrong not to have awarded a spot-kick in the first half when Hector Bellerin went down in the Stoke box under the attentions of Mame Diouf, with the Gunners boss adding: “We know we don’t get penalties.”

Giving his thoughts after a game that was settled by a strike in the 47th minute from Potters debutant Jese Rodriguez, Wenger said: “I believe it is the kind of night where you are angry.

“That is because not only did we not score with the number of chances we had, we made stupid mistakes centrally for the goal, first by losing the ball and after by not defending properly.

“And on top of that as well I think we were unlucky with some decisions from the referee because we scored a regular goal.”

Replays suggested it was part of Lacazette’s boot that had strayed offside when the ball was played to him and he then fired in.

Asked if he felt that effort should have stood, Wenger said: “One hundred per cent. I just watched it and it is not offside at all. Even his foot was not offside.”