Arsene Wenger was typically prickly in his post-match interview after Arsenal lost 1-0 to Chelsea at the Emirates.
When asked about the sending off of Per Mertesacker, which happened in the 18th minute, the boss wasn’t entirely convinced it was a red card offense, stating:
“The ref had a choice, of course he had a choice but he made a decision and I can’t influence that decision.
“I think we coped well and just got on with our job and kept our focus, that’s what we wanted to do.
“Costa got two players sent off in two games against our side… he’s clever.”
When pressed on his comment that Costa was ‘clever’ and therefore insinuating the striker got Per sent off on purpose, the manager chose his words carefully. Although it was clear what he was implying.
Was Wenger right to be so annoyed by the sending off? It did appear to be a red card. However, it was also clear that Costa went down easily.
Wenger’s not the best at keeping his cool post-match. Although he remains passive, his annoyance often comes through in his stance and use of words. You can tell he’s far from impressed by our loss to the current league holders. However, all we can do now is move on.