Angry Pulis calls Sanchez a cheat
TONY PULIS branded Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez a cheat last night. The West Brom manager claimed that the Chilean dived during the early stages of his side’s loss at Arsenal to goals either side of the break from Alexandre Lacazette and should have been booked. Pulis also criticised referee Bobby Madley for not awarding his side a penalty in the seventh minute when Jay Rodriguez was clearly brought down by Shkodran Mustafi. Madley allowed the advantage, but Rodriguez hit the post. ‘Sanchez dived for the first free-kick — and that is cheating,’ said Pulis. ‘We don’t get any reward for being honest. It could have been the player (Mustafi) sent off as well. ‘Everybody has seen what’s happened. If you want to make an example of something, I think the first free-kick he gives on the edge of the box, Sanchez actually dives and he should be booked for diving, in my opinion. There’s no one near him and the referee gives a free-kick. ‘Then, obviously, that’s a penalty. ‘People say Rodriguez has been too honest and is honesty the thing to do? We haven’t had a penalty for over a year now. ‘I’m just pleased everybody’s seen it.’ Arsenal took the lead in the 20th minute when Lacazette headed home after West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster had saved a Sanchez effort. The Baggies were unlucky again a little before the break when Rodriguez headed a Grzegorz Krychowiak cross past Arsenal stopper Petr Cech only to see Nacho Monreal clear off the line. Lacazette clinched it from the penalty spot on 67 minutes after Allan Nyom had felled Aaron Ramsey in the box. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger stated afterwards that he is not happy with TV scheduling with his side heading to Belarus to meet BATE Borisov in the Europa League on Thursday and visiting Brighton on Sunday. ‘The schedule is a bit cruel,’ he said. ‘I think there was some room for it to be different.’