Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Aleksandar Mitrovic deserved red
Saturday 29 August 2015 23:52, UK
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger branded Newcastle "physical" and thought Aleksandar Mitrovic deserved to be sent off in Saturday's Premier League encounter.
The striker was dismissed after just 16 minutes at St James' Park for a high tackle on Francis Coquelin as the Gunners won 1-0 thanks to a Fabricio Coloccini own goal.
While Newcastle manager Steve McClaren defended Mitrovic, Wenger said: "Honestly during the game, I didn't see it. But I have just seen it again on television and unfortunately it was a red card. He didn't play the ball at all.
"I think yes, the referee did all right, but Newcastle maybe wanted to stop us from playing, from moving the ball quickly to stop our game - they tried that from the start on.
"Mitrovic went a bit overboard. It was maybe a bit unlucky as well, I don't know - did he do it on purpose or not? I don't know.
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"I must say that Newcastle decided from the start on to make the game quite physical, and we had to keep our nerve and not become a little bit aggressive as well, so I thought we did that well."
Despite their numerical advantage, Arsenal needed a 52nd-minute own goal from Coloccini, who unwittingly deflected Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's shot past the helpless Tim Krul, to secure the points.
They dominated the game, but all too often found a well-organised defence - and behind it Krul - in their way.
Wenger said: "You play away from home 11 against 10, you know that they play 15 yards deeper. You play 10 against nine in the final third, the crowd is behind their team - that puts pressure on the referee - and then it's very difficult. We didn't find the space.
"They defended well - they showed why they didn't concede at Manchester United as well - and in the end, we are happy to have the three points and to win 1-0."
The Gunners have now won both of their away matches this season while at the Emirates they have taken a point from two games.
"We know we'll turn it round at home so it was important mathematically not to drop points today, not to be too far from the top teams," he commented.
"It was important mentally as well because we dropped points at home. We had two different away games at Newcastle and Crystal Palace but we've got six points. That is very good."
