UK Edition
Arsenal 2 Burnley 1: Sanchez late, disputed penalty gives Gunners the win after Xhaka sent off
Arsène Wenger admitted he should have just shut up. But this was a breathless encounter, nonetheless, not least in eight extraordinary minutes of added time in which penalties were traded and controversy was everywhere.
There was so much chatter it was impossible to say nothing, so many talking points that everyone had an opinion.
The Arsenal manager was sent to the stands for his enraged reaction as referee Jon Moss awarded Burnley’s spot-kick but foolishly ended up positioning himself in the tunnel and then petulantly pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor as he tried to make him leave – which he eventually did.
Wenger’s sheepish post-match reaction said it all, not least because he now deserves further punishment from the Football Association, but also because he knows – quite frankly – that he actually had nothing to complain about in the first place.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche, however, did, and he was right as he punctuated each answer with a reminder that Laurent Koscielny was offside in the incident that ultimately led to Alexis Sánchez’s decisive penalty which earned the precious victory and raised Arsenal up to second in the Premier League.
It means Burnley have now lost twice following incidents with Koscielny in added time this season – the defender also elbowed the ball into the net in the 93rd minute at Turf Moor for the only goal.
“Bizarre,” Dyche said. Bizarre, indeed. This was the hurly-burly world of the Premier League encapsulated in one match, once the fourth official raised that board to show the added minutes and all hell broke out over the pitch.
Before that it had looked like a routine enough win for Arsenal, albeit one punctuated by the dismissal of Granit Xhaka, which meant that they played out the final 30 minutes with 10 men.
A second red card of the season – a third when a dismissal playing for Switzerland is included – means that Xhaka will be banned for four matches. With Santi Cazorla still injured, Mohamed Elneny away at the African Cup of Nations and Jack Wilshere on loan, it will stretch Arsenal in the centre of midfield – although, on this form, Xhaka will be no great loss.
The £30 million signing was ordered off – after Moss had consulted his assistant, Andy Halliday, who went on to miss the Koscielny offside – as he passed the ball straight to Steven Defour and then stupidly lunged two-footed at the Burnley midfielder. The contact was minimal but the red card deserved, and it means Xhaka will have missed 16 matches through being sent off in the past two seasons. He earned yet another rebuke from Wenger.
Wenger ended up rebuking himself as well, as Arsenal appeared set to throw away two points. They had laboured in the first half, and while Tom Heaton saved well from Mesut Özil, so did Petr Cech from Ashley Barnes. Burnley did not look like a team who had collected just one away point this campaign.
They played two up front and Andre Gray clearly had the run of Shkodran Mustafi – although the struggling defender then opened the scoring in the second half with his first goal for Arsenal. It came from a corner by Özil, whose fellow German international evaded his marker, Stephen Ward, and angled a deft header across Heaton and into the net.
Up until that point it felt like this could be one of those Arsenal games in which they create half-chance after half-chance, dominate possession but ultimately come up short as the crowd grow more and more frustrated.
The goal changed that – but then the sending-off shifted the momentum further, and Dyche, smartly, ran through his substitutions as he began to crank up the pressure and sensed something.
Still the clock ran down. It appeared over, but Barnes took the ball inside the Arsenal area and substitute Francis Coquelin caught him. Wenger later said the midfielder denied there was any contact, but Moss pointed to the spot. Wenger was apoplectic, although that probably betrayed his fear that his team had thrown the game away. Cech got a hand to Gray’s kick but could not stop it.
To Arsenal’s credit, the 10 men poured forward. “We are a team who keeps going,” Wenger said. Deep into injury time there was still time, and when a free-kick was won, Koscielny made his move to stoop and try to head the ball back across goal as Ben Mee acrobatically attempted to beat him to it. Mee’s boot was high and Moss, after deliberating, pointed to the penalty spot.
This time it was Dyche and Burnley who were furious. “We don’t have to worry about that,” Dyche said as to whether or not Mee was guilty of dangerous play. “It’s offside. As simple as that. Not an inch; two-thirds of a body’s width.”
To cap it all, Sánchez took the penalty – designated taker Olivier Giroud had already been substituted – and elected to go for a panenka-style chip to beat Heaton. Sanchez kept his head and scored.
“Too cool,” Wenger later said of the penalty – and once he had caught his breath he also admitted that he regretted his own behaviour. Arsenal, eventually, had the points, even if their manager was again guilty of tunnel vision.
Also: Jeremy Wilson with Why Arsenal's Granit Xhaka remains a liability and how Burnley can take heart for future away trips
ANOTHER PENALTY!
This time it is Arsenal. Ooh, this is a tough break for Burnley. They are pressing desperately for the late winner, the ball is lofted into the back post area looking for Koscielny. Mee sticks a foot up in a last-gasp attempt to deny Kos. He has caught the Arsenal man with a very high foot. Jon Moss gives the penalty.
Burnley will feel hard done by. Not least because there was an Arsenal offside.
2-1. Alexis Sánchez chips the penalty down the middle
80 mins
Burnley giving it their all. Vokes is in the penalty area and he is putting it up to the Arsenal defenders. They might well get a clean sheet, but they are not getting back in that home dressing room without a few bruises. Vokes has jumped and, using his arms for leverage, given his marker Mustafa a smack in the puss for good measure.
Defour impressive
Just before that foul (we are having a lengthy delay while they stretcher off poor Dean Marney) Defour had whipped a nasty freekick that Cech tipped on to the bar.
But Defour is now withdrawn, and Vokes comes on. The Clarets also bring on Tarkowski for Marney, and that's their three subs done.
Red card! Xhaka has been sent off
Jon Moss sent him off against Swansea and he has done it again here. Xhaka lost the ball, and in his attempts to get it back, launched himself off the ground two-footed. Defour leapt in the air in an attempt to get out of the way.
Sorry, not much of a pic. Better one coming up.
After that red card v Swansea, Wenger said: ""Intelligence means you don't make the same mistake twice. I hope he learns from that."
How's that working out for you, Arsene?
Half time: Arsenal 0 Burnley 0
Looked like Sanchez might score or set up on literally half a dozen occasions there, but Burnley are hanging tough and they will be well pleased to be level at the break. They have had one or two moments on the break, to boot.
Overall though, Sean Dyche (taking charge of his 200th Burnley game today) has to find a way of shacking the Chilean in the second dig. He's had way too much time and space down that left, Clarets defending deep, static and passive. Feels like only a matter of time before Islington's premier dog-lover bites them hard on the bee-hind.
43 mins
Burnley are not without a puncher's chance though... Raking ball into the Arsenal box, Andre Gray is on to it lightning face and dear old Petr Cech, the warhorse, bravely at his feet to save. Gets a whack for his trouble but they make them out of pig iron in Pilsen, Czech Republic, and he is soon okay to carry on.
14 mins
Lovely football from Arsenal. Iwobi cuts the ball back from the right wing area, Ozil with an excellent low shot in the corner. It comes through the forest of legs, and Giroud nearly gets a touch. Keeper did well, I think Giroud may even have intended that as a dummy, and the ball would indeed have gone in, had Heaton not made a good low save.
The danger is not over for Burnley though, Iwobi has an accurate, placed shot from distance that purrs only just wide. That came from a corner, and now Koscielny has also worked the keeper from a corner.
5 mins
Arsenal getting on top now, they've got Burnley well pinned back. I dojn't like the amount of time the Clarets back four are giving the likes of Sanchez to run and dribble at them. Dyche, in his 200th game in charge, has got his men well marshalled, no doubt, but they are sitting deep. Could be risky
Arsenal consistent in their personnel
So Arsenal make no changes from the side that obliterated Stoke 4-0 the other day, and why would you? Wenger will be further cheered to have both Gibbs and Bellerin back in his matchday squad.
Arsenal: Cech, Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Ramsey, Iwobi, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud
Looks a tough ask for Burnley, but hope springs eternal.