Arsenal Football Club

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60432

Wenger asked to explain

01 Mar 2007 - 13:21:40

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The Football Association has asked Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to explain his comments made about the fall-out from the Carling Cup final in which he accused a match official of lying.

Wenger queried the charge brought against Emmanuel Adebayor following his red card, with the Frenchman believing that the match report suggested his player had punched Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard.

Wenger had said after the 1-0 FA Cup fifth round replay loss at Blackburn Rovers: "I feel Adebayor didn't punch anybody, so when the linesman says he punched somebody, he lies."

The Gunners manager had earlier stated that he did not believe that the FA's disciplinary system was honest.

Both of those outbursts have attracted interest from the FA, with a spokesman confirming: "Questioning the integrity of a match official and accusing them of lying is a very serious claim to make as it questions the whole integrity of the game.

"We also reject any accusations of bias or dishonesty within our disciplinary system. We will be asking Arsene Wenger to explain these comments."