Monday 19 December 2016 12:18, UK
Arsene Wenger described referees as a protected species following Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Manchester City.
Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling netted for the hosts, who had trailed to an early Theo Walcott strike, but both City goals appeared to be offside.
Sane looked like he had strayed slightly ahead of the ball as he scored the equaliser, while David Silva may have distracted Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech when Sterling struck.
Wenger was irked by the decisions in such a crucial match, and he believes match officials are virtually untouchable.
"It is well known, the referees are protected very well like the lions in the zoo, so we have to live with those decisions," Wenger said.
Asked to clarify his remarks concerning referee Martin Atkinson, Wenger said: "I want them to be very well protected, I want them to be safe, but if they could make the right decisions it would be even better."
Cech, who was beaten at the near post for the second after Sterling cut inside, also took issue.
"There were players in front of the goal so I didn't see the shot and there were people running across," Cech told Sky Sports.
"I don't know if one of them was David Silva or not but, as I said, I didn't see the ball because it was behind the players."
