West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has accused Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez of “cheating” during the Gunners’ 2-0 win over the Baggies on Monday night.
Alexandre Lacazette scored the opening goal in the first half, heading home from close range after Sanchez hit the bar with a free-kick, then made sure of the three points in the second half by converting a penalty just as West Brom got more of a handle on the game.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match (via BBC Sport), Pulis said:
In the game’s first free-kick Sanchez dives and should be booked. That’s cheating
Then the tackle in the box on Jay [Rodriguez], it is a stonewall penalty.
Pulis’ tirade was directed at referee Bobby Madley, who made the controversial decision not to award West Brom a first half penalty when Shkodran Mustafi brought Jay Rodriguez down in penalty area.
Speaking after that to the BBC, Pulis said:
We tell our players not to roll about, he [Rodriguez] still wanted to score but once he has missed, the referee should pull it back.
Rodriguez, instead of protesting Madley’s failure to award a penalty for the incident, simply got up and had a shot — which, fortunately for the Gunners, didn’t threaten to go in.
Pulis continued:
It could be a penalty and they could have a player sent off so we not only score but are against a team down to 10 players.
Arsene Wenger also weighed in on the controversial refereeing:
Would it [the West Brom penalty call] have been given I would not have said it is a scandal
Arsenal’s next fixture is a Europa League away fixture against BATE Borisov on Thursday evening.
