Arsenal fell further behind in the Premier League title race after drawing 1-1 with Brentford in Saturday’s late kick-off.
Arsenal opened the scoring in the 61st minute when Thomas Partey fired in after being set up by Declan Rice during a superb counter-attack.
However, Brentford equalised in the 75th minute through Yoane Wissa, who flicked the ball into the net with an instinctive finish after Arsenal failed to clear their lines.
Arsenal pushed for a late winner, with Bukayo Saka spurning a couple of chances, but couldn’t get over the line as they had to make do with a share of the spoils.
Gunners fans were unhappy about one particular decision by referee Simon Hooper which, had it gone their way, could have changed the complexion of the game.
Arsenal fans felt Christian Norgaard should have been sent off for Gabriel Martinelli tackle
Arsenal fans felt Brentford captain Christian Norgaard should have been sent off for his scissor challenge on Gabriel Martinelli in the first half.
In the 28th minute of the game, Norgaard scythed Martinelli down, prompting the referee to show the Bees man a yellow card.
The Arsenal bench and the home crowd protested, claiming it should have been a red card, but Norgaard stayed on the pitch.
“Norgaard should no longer be on that pitch after that tackle on Martinelli,” one fan wrote on X. “That was a nasty challenge!”
Another said: “I still can’t fathom out, 70mins later, why Christian Norgaard was still on the pitch.
“That’s the most blatant red card, Hooper and VAR having an absolute disaster.”
The criticism kept coming, with one Arsenal fan claiming: “That Norgaard foul was definitely a red card if it was the other way round.”
Another supporter said: “Nah that should be a red for Norgaard. Off the ground, scissor tackle & potential leg breaker.”
Another wrote: “Seen a lot less been given as red this season. Shocker of a tackle from Norgaard.”
What Sky Sports pundits said about Christian Norgaard tackle
The Sky Sports pundits didn’t seem to think Norgaard’s challenge was a stonewall red card challenge, suggesting it was borderline at most.
Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports: “It’s not a great challenge. Martinelli is quicker than him, he lunges. It’s a tackle players and managers don’t like because it can hurt you.
“He’s not that type of player, we all know that. But it’s a desperate lunge. I think in that situation it would have been really harsh for a red card.”
Meanwhile, Steve Sidwell felt there wasn’t “real malice” in the challenge.
He continued: “He goes with his right foot to try to win the ball and the momentum of his left leg takes it round. I think it’s borderline.”
And former Arsenal forward Alan Smith said: “I don’t think he’s cynically chopped him down but the end result wasn’t particularly great for Martinelli! His momentum took him into Martinelli.”
Had Brentford gone down to ten men and lost their captain in the opening half an hour, it could have been a very different game.
Arsenal will now need to pick themselves up and look to get over the line against Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Bernabeu.
