You're off: Howard Webb sends Adebayor off after a foul on
Liverpool's Arbeloa
Emmanuel Adebayor has accused referee Howard Webb of
failing to protect
Arsenal’s attacking players
during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with
Liverpool. The Arsenal striker
was sent off after 62 minutes at the Emirates, but said he should
not have been the one heading to the dressing room
early.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger called Webb’s decision to dismiss
Adebayor for a second bookable offence a ‘joke’ and his striker
urged the referee to review his decision.
Adebayor said: ‘If you try to protect strikers I would not have
had a red card. I don’t think I deserved a red card, but at least
one of the Liverpool players did. ‘Carragher was always fouling, so
was Lucas in the middle. I made two fouls and got two yellow cards,
which is not fair.
‘The referee has to watch it on TV. If he thinks it’s a red card
then fine, but if he thinks he has made a mistake he needs to
comment on it as quickly as possible.’
Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher and Leiva Lucas were among the six
who received yellow cards from Webb as the Barclays Premier League
leaders were held by Arsenal.
Gunners’ scorer Robin van Persie and Bacary Sagna were also
cautioned along with Robbie Keane, who smashed in the Liverpool
equaliser. But Adebayor criticised the referee for allowing
attacking players to be kicked, including his Arsenal teammate Cesc
Fabregas, Fabregas limped off after a coming
together with Xabi Alonso and Arsenal fear his ligament damage
could keep him out for longer than expected.
Tough game: Cesc Fabregas tussles with Liverpool's Lucas at
the Emirates
Togo striker Adebayor, 24, said: ‘You can see the tackle on Cesc
Fabregas before he went off was a little bit dangerous, but there
was no card, not even a foul. ‘I can show you the marks on legs. I
was kicked a lot but I tried to stay on my feet.’
There is, however, no possibility of Arsenal’s top-scorer avoiding
the one-match ban that means he will miss the Boxing Day clash at
Aston Villa. He had been booked for a high challenge on Emiliano
Insua in the first half and received a second yellow card for
tackle on Alvaro Arbeloa. Under FIFA guidelines, clubs cannot
appeal against yellow cards unless there is a case for mistaken
identity.
Adebayor said 10-man Arsenal should see the draw against Liverpool
as a point gained, but insisted Webb’s decision robbed the Gunners
of two more precious points.
Come here: Jamie Carragher gets to grips with Arsenal's
Robin van Persie
Despite lying fifth in the Premier League, Adebayor insisted
Arsenal still have a chance of winning the title. He said: ‘With 10
men we managed to get a point against Liverpool and they were at
the top of the table, with great players and playing great football
at the moment. I think we still have the chance to do
something.
‘We still have to go there, they have to play Manchester United and
Chelsea. It means the title is still open for everyone to win. At
the moment