Ranieri Accuses Arsenal Of Disrespect As Arteta Celebrates 100th Game

Bukayo Saka had the ball in the back of the net early on, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang later went on to miss a penalty making it seem as if it was going to be one of those days for the Gunners.

However Arsenal were able to get their breakthrough when Emile Smith Rowe pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the box to put his team in front.

Emile Smith Rowe

But Watford coach, Ranieri felt the Gunners got the decisive goal because of unsportsmanlike conduct, as his side put the ball out of play to allow the injured Ozan Tufan to receive treatment.

The coach raised his objections to Arteta after the game and went on to criticise the home side in a press conference.

“We put out the ball and everybody expected Arsenal to give back the ball,” Ranieri told reporters after the game.

“Sissoko and Rose said: ‘give the ball to us, we put the ball out, there was an injured player’. After this it was very strange.

“There was a cross, Kiko Femenia hit the ball with the header, Sarr took the ball, in my opinion there’s a big foul, but nothing happened and then they score the goal. It was very, very strange.

“Our relationship [Ranieri and Arteta] is very good, I told him there isn’t respect when we put the ball out. I said there isn’t respect in this action, just this.”

Although reacting to the allegation, Mikel Arteta took to the defense of his players, he however didn’t hesitate to apologize to Ranieri for how he felt

“I have to defend my players, my team and my club. We are the most honest of all of them.

“Even at some stages we are naive. If he felt like that, I apologise, but there was no intention.”, Arteta said.

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