Wenger: Van Persie Should Have Been Sent Off

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claims former captain Robin van Persie should have been sent off before Jack Wilshere during the Gunners 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.

Dutch striker van Persie made the move to Old Trafford from north London in the summer and took less than 3 minutes to score against his former side during United’s 2-1 win at the weekend.

With United 1-0 up, the 29-year-old picked up a yellow card for a late tackle on Bacary Sagna in the early stages of the second half, shortly before Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Wenger claims that Wilshere’s dismissal was ‘harsh’ and that referee Mike Dean was ‘naive’ by giving the United player license to dive in order to get the youngster sent off. Wenger said in the Mirror.

“I thought the red card was very harsh,” said Wenger. “And I find the referee very naive.

“When you say to a player, ‘For the next foul you’re going to get a second yellow’, that’s a signal to everybody in the opposing team to dive. And of course they do it. That is what is absolutely useless. If you get a warning, you are saying to the other team that with the next foul, if you dive, the player is off.

“Why do referees do that? It’s ­absolutely naive. To me Wilshere’s tackle looked a regular challenge.”

The Frenchman also claims that van Persie should have been sent off for his earlier tackle on Sagna, he continued.

“If he sends off Wilshere, he has to send off Van Persie for fouling Bacary Sagna in the second half.

“From outside, Van Persie’s tackle looked a red card.”

Do you agree? Was Van Persie’s challenge a red card? Get involved in the comments section.

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