Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger ‘surprised and disappointed’ by decision to take referee Kevin Friend off Tottenham game

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has questioned the Premier League's decision to remove referee Kevin Friend from taking charge of Tottenham's game with Stoke on Monday.

Friend, who is a Leicester fan, was down to officiate Tottenham's visit to the Britannia but has now been replaced by Neil Swarbrick due to the nature of the title race, with Spurs currently seven points behind Claudio Ranieri's side.

And Wenger, whose side are 11 points adrift of leaders Leicester, believes Friend's integrity has now been put in doubt.

"I am surprised and disappointed," said Wenger.

"It questions the integrity of the referee and sets a dangerous precedent. The solution is you don't look where they come from and who they support, you just pick the best referees.

"I am not a specialist of judging referees - we have to accept they make more mistakes and give them more support with more technology and treat them as professionals who make decisions which are not based on their emotions."