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26 October 2004
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Tuesday
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11 Ramazan 1425
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Arsenal fury at defeat spills over into papers
LONDON, Oct 25: Arsenal's fury at Manchester United's 2-0 win in the English Premiership on Sunday spilled over into the papers on Monday with Gunners' manager Arsene Wenger's claims they had been cheated given prominent display.
'Roo Dirty Rat' headlined The Sun over Wayne Rooney's apparent dive under a challenge from Sol Campbell which led to Ruud Van Nistelrooy's penalty which broke the deadlock. And Wenger's claim that the Dutchman should not have been on the pitch to take the penalty after stamping on the foot of Ashley Cole also figured prominently.
"This defeat is very difficult to take because we feel like we were robbed," Wenger told The Sun.
'You cheats' blared The Daily Mail which pointed out that referee Mike Riley has awarded United a penalty in all eight matches he has handled at Old Trafford.
'Arsenal pay the price this time as ref gets it wrong,' added the Mail.
'Arsenal in a rage after Rooney's party piece,' said The Daily Telegraph of Rooney's 19th birthday performance which included winning the penalty and scoring the second.
But the papers agreed feelings ran too high for much good football with players allowed to get away with murder in an often scrappy match.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy, with a dubious penalty, and Rooney, in injury time, inflict the first Premiership defeat on Arsenal in 50 games," was how The Times summed it up.
"Wayne Rooney tucked home a stoppage-time goal as the substitutes Louis Saha and Alan Smith combined on the counter-attack. The opportunity arose only because Arsenal were trying to notch an equaliser and right a wrong. Van Nistelrooy's penalty was not merited," said The Guardian.
And it was also reported that a petulant Arsenal player threw soup and food at United manager Alex Ferguson after the match. However, United chief executive David Gill told BBC Radio on Monday: "I have no comment to make on the story."
But that did not stop the Daily Mirror from criticising Arsenal's players for what it said was there unsportsmanlike behaviour.
"After 49 matches and 17 months of sharing the exuberant beauty of Arsenal's unbeaten run, we deserved more than to watch it all end in ugliness.
"We had forgotten since the last time it happened so very long ago that The Invincibles are bad losers. Very bad."-AFP
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