Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw against Brentford in the Premier League on Thursday – and the Bees felt that the Gunners should have ended the game with 10 men on the pitch
Gabriel Magalhaes is shown a yellow card during Arsenal’s draw at Brentford(Image: Getty Images)
Brentford manager Keith Andrews has claimed that Arsenal should have been reduced to 10 men during his side’s 1-1 draw against the Gunners on Thursday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side missed the chance to extend their lead to six points at the top of the Premier League table, but Andrews believes his team could have made it worse for the Gunners.
Andrews felt that Gabriel Magalhaes, who first shown a yellow card in the 20th minute, should have been handed a second booking in the 83rd minute. The Brazil international brought down Brentford forward Dango Ouattara while stretching for a ball and Andrews was insistent that a red card should have been given.
But referee John Brooks left Gabriel unpunished, meaning Arsenal finished the game with 11 players on the pitch – the same as Brentford. “I think it was a definite yellow,” Andrews told TNT Sports.
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“I just feel like the first few fouls always set the bar for how they referee the game – there’s always that level isn’t there? I felt a few times in the first half we weren’t getting the rub of it. I think inside the box today, I was really happy with our movement.”
Andrews was frustrated with a number of decisions and received a yellow card in the first half for complaining at referee Brooks and he could be seen shouting “f***ing shambles”.
Arsenal, meanwhile, were not at their fluent best at the Gtech Community Stadium but they did take the lead in the 61st minute through Noni Madueke’s second Premier League goal for the club. But the Bees equalised 10 minutes later with Keane Lewis-Potter finding the net to ensure the points were shared.
“Well, I think the game had different moments,” Arteta said post-match. “The first 10-15 minutes we lacked certain composure to dominate the game better. I think after that we started to play much more in our way and started to play in their half and generated some good situations without really having clear-cut chances.
“The second half, the way we started, we really looked a threat. The way we combined, the way we [threatened] constantly their backline and the goalkeeper, it was much better. Again, without really hitting the target enough times or finishing enough actions, and then we scored the goal and the game was under total control.”
The result means that the Gunners are four points ahead of second-place Manchester City, who earned a comfortable 3-0 win against Fulham on Wednesday.