Rs win the Warb’ of words
Arteta says Arsenal now in their rightful place
meet Gabriel Martinelli’s corner with a firm near-post header, only the second goal of his Gunners career.
Normally, Partey’s shooting is a spot-the-ball contest, with the winning entries often located in the upper tiers or neighbouring postcodes.
Yet the Ghanaian midfielder was inches away from a second eight minutes later, curling a 20-yard shot against the angle of post and bar.
Rained
As the shots rained in on Foxes keeper Kasper Schmeichel for half an hour, it looked as if Leicester would be in for a long afternoon.
But Arsenal have often been grateful for Aaron Ramsdale’s interventions this season.
He excelled with a miraculous save to deny James Maddison in the Gunners’ 2-0 win at the
King Power last October and the magic in his fingertips has not expired.
His one-handed effort to divert Harvey Barnes’ header destined for the top corner after 35 minutes made you believe a man can fly. It was outstanding.
If Ramsdale is not pushing Jordan Pickford for the England No.1 shirt against Switzerland and Ivory Coast later this month, coach Gareth Southgate is suffering from a blind spot.
Southgate can pick three blind mice if he wants, but nothing could be as infuriating as our old friend VAR – and Leicester’s goose was cooked by yet another jobsworth poking his nose in.
Somewhere in a bunker, Darren England advised referee Anthony Taylor that Caglar Soyuncu’s fingertip had brushed Partey’s fingertip before Luke Thomas hooked it off the line.
Mistake
Clear and obvious mistake? Your missus paints nail varnish on her finger with less force than Soyuncu’s minimal contact with the ball, but after studying several replays on the pitchside monitor, Taylor decided it was worth a penalty.
The sooner VAR, and all the technology that ruins football matches, is consigned to a landfill pit, the better because nobody seems to know the rules.
Alex Lacazette buried the spot-kick high beyond Schmeichel, and Arsenal were good value for their victory.
When you get a penalty awarded for nail varnish in one game, where a blatant shirt-pull and shove is waved away the same day, it is scandalous.
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers was having none of it.
“We have seen so many decisions with VAR and things that have gone against us this season in similar situations,” he said.
“Cags is reacting, he is moving his body, he can’t move his body like a mannequin and have his arms straight down. Hugely disappointing.”
But it’s onwards and upwards for Arteta, who is desperate for a Champions League spot.
“We have to be there. We should be there. Our history obliges to be there but we are not there yet and there are still a lot of games to play.”
Luton ............ QPr ............... 1 2
MARK WARBURTON revealed online criticism spurred on his QPR side to this comeback win.
Luton were robbed as Rob Dickie’s 83rd-minute winner gave Rangers only a second victory in nine games.
QPR are now up to fourth after leapfrogging their play-off rivals. And boss Warburton
admitted remarks about the poor form motivated him and his players. He revealed: “Reading some comments this week, we might as well not have turned up.
“The players aren’t stupid. Let them read them and the manager has to say nothing.
“People are fickle. QPR are a good team and, right now, we’re where we want to be.”
QPR might be a good team — but they were a lucky one yesterday.
Luton should have already been ahead before taking the lead.
Elijah Adebayo’s crisp finish was controversially ruled out for offside, before the Luton striker was foiled by David Marshall.
Feisty
But they did get their noses in front on 37 minutes as Cameron Jerome’s effort from the edge of the area went through Marshall.
With both sides going for promotion, this was understandably a feisty affair and the main flashpoint came just after ref Josh Smith blew on the stroke of half-time.
Visiting playmaker Ilias Chair put his hands in Tom Lockyer’s face but received only a yellow.
Hatters boss Nathan Jones said: “Raise your hands and put them in someone’s face and you should get sent off.
“The referee said it wasn’t malicious. Do I agree with that? No.”
It was a clear turning point.
Former Luton player Andre Gray won a 55thminute penalty after going down under a Kal Naismith challenge.
And he buried the spot kick before refusing to celebrate.
QPR did not look like a threat despite the equaliser but stole the points as Dickie got a shoulder onto Chris Willock’s near-post corner.