Arsene Wenger has moved to apologise for his terrible behaviour in which he found himself sent to the stands during Arsenal’s win over Burnley yesterday.
The Frenchman found himself losing his rag as he watched the Clarets awarded a 93rd minute penalty, which was netted by Andre Gray to level the match, and the fourth official moved to send the Arsenal manager to the stands, which Wenger refused.
Arsene now appears to be in damage limitation mode as he tries to reduce the repercussions of his actions, in which he is said to have pushed Anthony Taylor amidst his frustrations, and refused to move himself to the stands.
Wenger said: “I regret everything. I should have shut up and gone in and gone home, basically.
“I apologise for that. There’s nothing bad. I said something you hear everyday in football but nine times out of 10 you’re not sent to the stand for that. But if I am, I am and I should have shut up completely.”
Straight after the final whistle was blown however, without the added time to calm down, he simply insisted that he didn’t make contact with Taylor, and that he believed he simply stayed where he believed he was allowed to stay…
Just after the match ended, Wenger was asked if he had pushed the fourth official, to which he replied: “No, no, no, I just went in and watched the game here after. I thought I could stay in the corridor.”
The 67 year-old certainly has time to calm down after the emotional fixture, and is now regretting his actions. Keith Hackett has called for a minimum ban of six matches, and we will simply have to await the official ruling on his actual ban.
Will Wenger’s apology induce a leaner punishment? Would Arsene’s touchline ban dent our title hopes?
Pat J