Wenger raps Moyes over Fabregas row
Everton boss wrong to go public with things he “pretended to hear”, blasts Gunners chief
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has taken a swipe at Everton boss David Moyes over his accusation that Cesc Fabregas aimed verbal abuse at referee Lee Mason.
Moyes incensed Wenger by claiming Fabregas should have been shown a red card for comments aimed at Mason at half-time of the Gunners’ 2-1 win on Tuesday.
Fabregas responded on Wednesday with a statement insisting matters had been blown out of proportion, while Mason himself exonerated the Spaniard by not mentioning any incident in his match report.
And Wenger yesterday hit back at Moyes, suggesting the Toffees manager had embellished the story in order to land Fabregas in trouble.
“I believe that it is wrong for Moyes to come out on what he pretends to have heard in the tunnel,” he said. “If I came out with what I have heard in the tunnel is the last 10 years, you would be amazed.
“I think there is a rule in our job to never come out with what is said in the heat of the moment. That usually is respected by everybody.
“If you play football with friends, sometimes at half-time you say something to your friend that you would not be very proud of 24 hours later, but it is in the heat of the moment.
“Cesc Fabregas has not said anything to the referee, I maintain what I say. Cesc Fabregas has not been charged, so this story for me is over.”
Wenger confirmed goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski’s shoulder surgery has ended his season. A thigh injury will keep Alex Song out of tomorrow’s trip to Newcastle, but Theo Walcott is over his ankle knock.
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Sir Alex Ferguson
Feud peaked after United ended Arsenal’s 49-match unbeaten run in 2004. In the ensuing tunnel row Ferguson was hit by a slice of pizza. He later called Wenger “a disgrace”; Wenger retorted Ferguson had “lost all sense of reality”. May never be firm friends but now on amicable terms.
Jose Mourinho
The so-called Special One famously called Wenger “a voyeur” for making observations about his Chelsea team, and a simmering mutual mistrust remains.
Alan Pardew
Wenger was fined £10,000 in 2006 for pushing then-West Ham boss Pardew in a touchline row after Arsenal conceded a late winner at Upton Park.
Martin Jol
Wenger called Jol and Spurs “liars” for playing on and scoring while two Arsenal players lay hurt, as the race to finish fourth boiled over in April 2006.