As serene and cerebral a man as Arsene Wenger usually is (See this L'Equipe interview, in which he states his mission as being "to release what is beautiful in man") he is a paradoxically combustible presence on the touchline. He has clashed with Jose Mourinho in the past, and most famously with Alan Pardew, whose own touchline journey to the heart of darkness culminated in headbutting David Meyler and dancing at Wembley (down to you to decide which is worse).
Wenger was in irascible mood again today, as Arsenal squeezed past Burnley at the Emirates to streak clear into second place, and position them as Chelsea's nearest challengers. It was a close-run thing: Alexis Sanchez secured the points for Arsenal with a 98th-minute penalty. This was after Arsenal had lost a lead (through an Andre Gray goal) and a man (Granit Xhaka was sent off) from Mustafi's opener just shy of the opening hour mark.
Before the penalty decision went in Arsenal's favour (Koscielny was fouled in the penalty area having been fouled in an offside position) tempers flared on the touchline, with Arsene Wenger sent off for foul language directed towards referee Jonathan Moss. The referee had awarded a contentious foul against Francis Coquelin from which Burnley equalised. After the fourth official Anthony Taylor banished Wenger to the stands, Wenger refused to go any further than the tunnel, and in the ensuing remonstrations with Taylor, shoved him in the chest.
Arsene Wenger Pushes Referee
Afterward, Wenger admitted that he was in the wrong:
I didn’t know if I was sent to the stands but I was sent out,” he said. “I thought I could watch it from the corridor. I regret everything. I should have shut up, gone in and gone home. I apologise for that.
It was nothing bad. I said something that you hear every day in football. Overall, nine times out of ten, you are not sent to the stand for that. If I am, I am, and I should have shut up completely. I had been quite calm the whole game, more than usual but just in the last 2-3 minutes...
Wenger will await the report by referee John Moss before any further action is taken. Arsenal, meanwhile, are eight points behind Chelsea.
