Arsenal 2-0 West Brom: Tony Pulis calls Alexis Sanchez a 'cheat' after defeat at Emirates

The 59-year-old Welsh manager was upset over refereeing decisions that went against his side's 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.

Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez was called a cheat by West Brom boss Tony Pulis for diving Reuters

West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis has accused Alexis Sanchez of "cheating" during Arsenal's 2-0 win over the Baggies in the Premier League and was left fuming with referee Robert Madley after his side were denied a "stonewall' penalty on 25 September.

The visitors were denied a clear penalty in the eighth minute of their 2-0 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates when Shkodran Mustafi tripped Jay Rodriguez, only for Rodriguez to get himself up and hit the post.

Also read: Edinson Cavani turns down €1m bonus to give up penalty duties to Neymar at PSG

Madley did not signal for advantage during the move, while Pulis also referenced an early free-kick awarded to Arsenal, where he believed Sanchez dived and should have been booked.

Interviewed by Sky Sports after the match, Pulis could not hide his frustration, and even insisted the reason his side have not received a penalty in 39 Premier League games is because his players are not told to "roll around".

"In the game's first free-kick Sanchez dives and should be booked. That's cheating. "I think everybody has seen what's happened today," Pulis told sky Sports

"Then the tackle in the box on Jay, it is a stonewall penalty. Jay is honest, and doesn't get his reward for being honest. We haven't had a penalty at this football club for over a year. And none of my players are told to roll around.

Speaking to the BBC afterwards, Pulis added: "We tell our players not to roll about, he still wanted to score but once he has missed, the referee should pull it back.

Wenger admitted West Brom had a strong case for a penalty before Lacazette struck the opener.

"They pushed us very hard, especially in the first half," said the Frenchman. Would it [the West Brom penalty call] have been given I would not have said it is a scandal."

After the game, Rodriguez was adamant there had been contact in the box for West Brom's penalty appeal.

"For me it was a penalty, sometimes you get them sometimes you don't. I wouldn't be rolling around trying to get free-kicks. It is one of those things but it is just difficult because if you do get that goal, 1-0 up changes the game," Rodriguez said.

West Brom had other opportunities to score at the Emirates, but eventually succumbed to two Alexandre Lacazette goals. Pulis said his side played well, but rued the missed chances early on. "We've got to take those opportunities."

READ MORE