Wenger calls for video challenge rights

Frustrated Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger called for the use of tennis-style challenges to combat dodgy decisions by blundering referees.

The Frenchman voiced the idea of clubs being given two video challenges per game, similar to the system used in tennis, where players get three challenges per set using Hawk-Eye graphics which plot the ball's flight.

Wenger made the call after his stuttering side were forced to settle for a Premier League point at Sunderland.

Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas rescued the Gunners with an injury-time header after substitute Grant Leadbitter's late strike put Roy Keane's side ahead.

But Wenger was left to rue the second-half “goal” that never was, as Robin van Persie's legitimate second-half effort was ruled out due by the officials in an error that would have been proved wrong by goal-line technology.

Van Persie looked to have finally broken the deadlock when he swept in an inviting cut-back from England forward Theo Walcott.

But the Netherlands striker's joy was short-lived as the referee's assistant ruled that Walcott had taken the ball over the byline before crossing as he tussled with Northern Ireland defender George McCartney.

Wenger could be forgiven for issuing his stock reply that he didn't see whether the ball had crossed the line, but the Frenchman insisted it was the latest in a string of game-defining controversies that could have been settled by the use of video replays.

“From the bench my neck's not tall enough to see if the ball was out or not,” he said. “Theo Walcott says that the ball was in and I'd love to believe him of course but it doesn't change anything now.

“It's just another case for the use of video replays. If the manager had two appeals per game on video, in this instance I'd have used it.”

Keane is not convinced that going down such a route is a good idea, although he insists his stance has nothing to do with Sunderland's narrow escape as they earned their first point against any of the Premier League's “big four” since returning to the top flight 14 months ago.

“I'm going to sit on the fence. Not because of the decision, but I'm not convinced about the use of replays,” said the former Ireland midfielder.

After missing out on a chance to top the Premier League by dropping further points against another team they were expected to comfortably beat, Wenger was disappointed his side were not rewarded for their greater attacking intent.

Arsenal have taken only one point from their last two games.

“Is it a good point or a bad point? I don't know. It was frustrating because we didn't create the chances we usually do, but that was down to the quality of their defending,” said Wenger.

“We took the initiative and it was all us, but Sunderland defended with great resilience. The team taking the initiative should be rewarded but it's not always like that.

“One of the rare shots they had on goal they scored from it, and it needed character to come back to get a point. We were a little bit flat, a little bit tired after our midweek game in Europe.”

Sunderland snapped a seven-game Premier League losing streak against the north London club thanks to Leadbitter's stunning 86th-minute strike, a lead they held until the final seconds of stoppage time as Fabregas rose to head in a Van Persie corner.

Keane insisted the late equaliser should not take the gloss off his side's stirring display in front of a 40,199-strong crowd.

“We were outstanding, there were lots of positives and I can't think of any negatives,” he said.

“We're making progress, and it's a draw against one of the teams who last year we weren't quite capable of matching. Hopefully we're getting closer to the likes of Arsenal but we know the game's not over until the final whistle.”