Wenger apologises after pushing fourth official

ARSENE Wenger was forced to apologise after pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor as 10-man Arsenal snatched a last-gasp win over Burnley to move up to second in the Premier League.

The Frenchman was sent from the touchline by referee Jon Moss after remonstrating over the award of an injury-time penalty to the Clarets.

He was then shown shoving Taylor as he attempted to watch the rest of the contest from the end of the tunnel, with Andre Gray seemingly grabbing just a second away point of the campaign for the visitors by converting from the spot.

But, with Wenger stewing in the dressing-room alongside Granit Xhaka — who was dismissed for a lunge on Steven Defour just seven minutes after Shkodran Mustafi’s first Arsenal goal had put them ahead — Moss levelled up the penalty count by awarding the Gunners their own spot-kick with just seconds remaining.

Alexis Sanchez stepped up to coolly convert with a ‘Panenka’ penalty to earn Arsenal three points and take them above Liverpool and Tottenham.

But Wenger, who has now seen his side earn 10 points with goals in the final four minutes of games in the Premier League this season, was left answering questions about his own antics after the frenetic conclusion.

Asked about television replays showing him push the fourth official, Wenger said: “I regret everything. I should have shut up, gone in and gone home. I apologise for that.

“Look, it was nothing bad. I said something that you hear every day in football. Overall nine times out of 10 you are not sent to the stand for that.”

Wenger is likely to face a Football Association charge for his actions.