Reports are out claiming that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger attacked Diego Costa’s style of play after defeat to Chelsea.
The Gunners saw centre-half Gabriel sent off just before half-time following a series of altercations with Costa after he had man-handled Laurent Koscielny.
Chelsea went on to win at home for the first time in the Barclays Premier League this season as Kurt Zouma headed in a free-kick from one-time Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas.
Any hopes of an Arsenal comeback had ended when Santi Cazorla collected a second yellow card with 11 minutes left before Eden Hazard’s late shot ricocheted off Calum Chambers past Petr Cech, returning to face his old club.
“He can do what he wants, he stays on and everybody else who responds to him has to be sent off. I think it is unacceptable his behaviour,” said Wenger of Costa.
“If you look well at the pictures what he does to Koscielny before he pushes him down he hits him in the face and the throat, he always gets away with it.
“It is surprising and I don’t understand Mike Dean’s decision at all, not on the sending-off – why does Diego Costa stay on the pitch and Gabriel sent off?
“Okay I accept he has not to react at all. Gabriel is guilty for getting involved of course, he should not have responded at all, but Koscielny had no choice.
Wenger added: “We expect that kind of game and were not surprised, but you expect the referee to make the right decision.
“I don’t deny Gabriel is sent off, he deserves it, but he (Costa) goes down well.”