LIVID Arsenal fans claimed Southampton got off lightly after a horror lunge by Stuart Armstrong.
They moaned their man Granit Xhaka would ‘definitely’ have seen red for the same challenge.
Armstrong was lucky to stay on the pitch after his challenge on Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
The Saints midfielder escaped with just a yellow despite a VAR review of his studs-up shocker.
Xhaka was given his marching orders for a similar high-footed challenge as the Gunners held Liverpool to a goalless draw in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
The Swiss enforcer was then unavailable for the follow-up that saw his side dumped out of the competition.
And Arsenal fans fumed at what they saw as double standards from officials when their star was involved.
User EricSulman5 wrote on Twitter: “How has Stuart Armstrong not been sent off? Officiating in the Prem is soo inconsistent. Without a doubt if it was Xhaka he’s getting sent off. Missed the ball & caught the player.”
@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}
Most read in Football
.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS
Benito_lowe98 wrote: “If it’s Xhaka who does that tackle Armstrong does, it’s a red!”
George Oakley wrote: “Xhaka gets sent off for that Armstrong challenge and that’s not saying it’s an agenda against Xhaka because it is a red card tackle. Other players will just get away with similar sort of tackles due to reputation.”
And EshanAryaNBA added: “If Xhaka made the challenge Armstrong just did, he’d be banned for 3 games.”
Arsenal meet Burnley on Sunday with boss Mikel Arteta facing a midfield crisis.
Both Xhaka and Thomas Partey are ruled out due to suspensions, with Albert Sambi Lokonga likely to have to play a lone holding role in the middle.
⚽ Get all the latest Arsenal news, updates and transfer gossip with our live blogs
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk