×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Wenger faces FA rap after ref rant

Sport
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger faces a certain FA rap after an astonishing attack on ref Lee Probert following his teams’ 2-1 loss to Fulham on Monday night. The Arsenal chief slammed the official as “naïve” for sending off Johan Djourou to spark Fulham’s comeback. Bobby Zamora hit a 93rd-minute winner. Wenger said: “He got it […]

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger faces a certain FA rap after an astonishing attack on ref Lee Probert following his teams’ 2-1 loss to Fulham on Monday night.

The Arsenal chief slammed the official as “naïve” for sending off Johan Djourou to spark Fulham’s comeback.

Bobby Zamora hit a 93rd-minute winner. Wenger said: “He got it all wrong and all on the same side. The ref influenced the game in completely the wrong way.”

Wenger said Fulham tried to get his defender sent off — and insisted Probert fell for it.

He also blasted the official for failing to give Arsenal a penalty after Gervinho went crashing.

Wenger said: “It’s difficult to lose like that as I felt all the important decisions went against us. The penalty not given on Gervinho and the second yellow card that was not one and we are down to 10 men.

“It was 100% a penalty for the foul on Gervinho from Senderos in the first half.”

Laurent Koscielny gave Arsenal a first-half lead but, after Djourou’s 78th-minute sending off, Steve Sidwell levelled and Zamora clinched it. Wenger added: “I saw the red card coming you know, as when Kerim Frei came on the game was all about that — look for the second yellow card on Djourou.

“The moment you get the first yellow they tried every time to get the second and the ref was naïve enough to give it.”

Fulham boss Martin Jol said: “The only thing I did was put Frei on and he is an exciting player. “Djourou could probably have had a second booking before that.”

Meanwhile, André Villas-Boas (AVB) sensationally blanked Chelsea star Frank Lampard after his late winner at Wolves. The Blues boss did not say a word to the England ace following the 2-1 victory . . . or on the coach home.

A Chelsea insider said: “None of the players could believe it, it’s shocking treatment. Lampard has given everything for this club and his treatment by the manager is disgusting.

“Despite easing the pressure on Villas-Boas, the manager said nothing to him in the dressing room or on the way home.”

AVB refused to talk about Lampard to the media. Asked about Lampard’s contribution, AVB said: “All players are valuable, no matter who scores. The team did well.

Romeu, Mata, all of them. The important thing is for the team to find consistency.”

Lampard, who has been out of the starting line-up recently, failed to join in the pitch-side celebrations after Ramires’ opener when several Chelsea players ran to hug AVB.

Lamps also stayed on the pitch to wave to the Chelsea fans afterwards.

He said: “It’s brilliant to score the winning goal. The team and the fans who travelled up to the game deserved it.

“It’s important for me to play for 90 minutes. When I play regularly, I play my best.”

Queens Park Rangers skipper Joey Barton is likely to face an FA charge for accusing Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson of “conning” officials after he was sent off on Monday.

Barton was given a straight red card by referee Neil Swarbrick for an apparent head-butt on Johnson in the 2-1 home defeat against Norwich.

Swarbrick deliberated with his assistant David Richardson before sending off Barton.

But the midfielder may have left himself in more trouble after a series of tweets.

He posted: “Well feel for the officials, they’ve been conned. (The officials) admitted to me at HT they never saw it.”