Arsene Wenger has said referees are protected like “lions in the zoo” after saying that bad decisions cost Arsenal in their 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.
Wenger’s side led before Leroy Sane equalised, although replays showed he was offside by the finest of margins.
And David Silva was in an offside position when Raheem Sterling scored the winner, but it was unclear whether he hindered goalkeeper Petr Cech.
“It’s very difficult to accept in a game of that stature,” Wenger said.
“But, as it is well known, the referees are protected very well like the lions in the zoo, so we have to live with those decisions.”
The Gunners took the lead at the Etihad Stadium thanks to Theo Walcott’s early breakaway goal before City fought back to triumph with two second-half strikes that sent them above Arsenal and into second place.
