Wenger slams referee after loss

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hit out at referee Lee Probert for changing the course of the game at Fulham after his side lost 2-1 on Monday.

The Gunners looked set for a fifth victory in six away Barclays Premier League matches until the home side's late comeback at Craven Cottage.

Steve Sidwell and Bobby Zamora netted in the final minutes of the match to secure Fulham a 2-1 win, with the catalyst seemingly Johan Djourou's red card for a second bookable offence 12 minutes before time.

Wenger was furious after the match, arguing that neither of Djourou's challenges were worthy of a yellow card and that his side should have been awarded a penalty for Philippe Senderos' first-half challenge on Gervinho.

"The referee influenced the game in completely the wrong way, in my opinion," Wenger said.

"We cannot influence that.

"We had a good first half and in the second half we were tired in the last 10 minutes. We lost the game because we were down to 10 men.

"The first yellow card was not a yellow card. The second yellow card was a foul for us.

"There was a 100% penalty for us in the first half and that is that, plus the fact we did not take our chances in the first half made the difference.

"In the end I think it was very unlucky to lose a game with 10 men.

"When you see that we finished the game with 10 men it is very difficult to take and that makes a massive difference when you played 48 hours before. It is too difficult."

Wenger also apportioned some blame on Fulham, whom he claimed had attempted to get Djourou sent off.

"When Djourou got the first card, every time he intervened they went down to get him a second yellow and he did nothing at all," he added.

"I saw it coming, you know. When they brought on [Kerim] Frei they looked for a second yellow card on Djourou and they got it."

He added: "I do not need to make stories for newspapers. I tell you the game I have seen. I don't care about the rest.

"I just felt that every time Djourou was on the fringe to get the second. You can watch the game [again]."

Fulham boss Martin Jol laughed off Wenger's comments.

"Maybe he could accuse me of trying to do something, but I don't think players can do that," he said.

"The only thing I did was put Kerim Frei on the flank and he is an exciting player.

"He wanted to go one-v-one all the time and that was probably the problem for Djourou.

"He probably could have had a second booking before that, to be fair."

While Arsenal felt aggrieved after the match, defeat would have been cruel on Fulham after a spirited performance.

"I am relieved after any game when we get the points on the board and against a top side like Arsenal," Jol said.

"We did it before against Liverpool and Chelsea so we have some players with excellent quality who can make the difference as you saw.

"We didn't play particularly well in the first 25 minutes.

"We played a bit differently in central midfield, we tried to screen and play zonally.

"After that we matched them up in midfield and that gave them a problem."

"It was amazing...we played ever so well in the second half.

"Sometimes if you can't score at the right times you end up with a draw but I think in the end the win was deserved."

On Djourou's red card, the Dutchman added on Sky Sports 1: "To be fair he could have maybe had a second booking earlier so maybe he (Wenger) didn't want to see that. I don't think there's a problem - a second booking is a red card, that's a normal thing.

"He could have had a point with the penalty but you can see he (Philippe Senderos) tried to get the ball so it would have been a soft penalty."

Jol was quick to praise Zamora's part in the performance after the match, having recovered from an Achilles problem to volley home the winner.

The pair's relationship has come under scrutiny over recent months but Jol was pleased to see him hit the headlines for the right reasons.

"It's always the same," the Dutchman said. "If you are number nine at any club and can make the difference, I'm very happy.

"I love my players, especially when they score goals.

"He had problems with his Achilles and ankle and couldn't travel with us recently.

"You have to play another player, and [Orlando] Sa scored which was good.

"We did the same for this game and he said he could play so he plays because he is my main striker."

For his part Zamora hailed "hard work and togetherness" for the rousing finale.

He explained: "We've been working hard all season and haven't got the home results we want but this caps all our hard work.

"My ankle and opposite Achilles have been playing up - I've had to have a jab in it to sort it out and hopefully it's done it for a while.

"We want to do well - the Manchester United game wasn't like us at home (Fulham lost 5-0)...but the togetherness and resilience of the boys has shown tonight [Monday]."

On his own future with the club, Zamora added: "You press guys like to write whatever you want.

"A lot of it is blown out of all proportion - I've got a few years on my contract yet."