Arsene Wenger’s look after the match says it all

Liverpool: Arsene Wenger blamed the referee and his own defence for Arsenal’s 2-4 defeat in an astonishing Champions League quarter final at Liverpool on Tuesday.

The Gunners were seven minutes away from advancing to the semi-finals on the away goals rule after making the score 2-2 on the night, but went out 5-3 on aggregate after two late Liverpool goals.

A controversial penalty, awarded by Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt for a tug on Ryan Babel by Kolo Toure, saw Steven Gerrard score the crucial goal to put Liverpool 3-2 ahead with five minutes to play.

To rub salt into Wenger’s wounds, Arsenal had an identical appeal for a penalty dismissed in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last week when Liverpool held them to a 1-1 draw in London.

“We have a feeling of disappointment and injustice. At the moment it is difficult because the whole dressing room is down,” Wenger said.

“The game is over for us. It was down to a dodgy decision, I believe, from the referee. Over the two games it was difficult to swallow. It was a double disappointment because all the big decisions went against us.

“We have to live with that. Sometimes you have to swallow the unswallowable. It is difficult to understand. It was never a penalty. I have watched it clearly again, but last week it was definitely a penalty.”

Wenger felt his defence played a part in Arsenal’s downfall as Sami Hyypia was allowed a free header to equalise Abou Diaby’s opener and Fernando Torres found time to turn and score his side’s second. After Gerrard’s penalty, Babel completed the scoring with a stoppage-time fourth. “We had so much control but we were naive and we lacked a bit defensively,” Wenger added.

“The defeat was not down to mental strength though, it was down to a lack of experience defensively. We made big mistakes and we conceded a goal from a corner and on the second goal we gave Fernando Torres too much room.”

Wenger believes a series of poor decisions and injuries to key players have affected his side.

“The team is sick. We feel everything is going against us. We lacked that extra bit of confidence because week after week there is more disappointment,” he grumbled.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said he never doubted he would convert the late penalty, despite one of his worst games for the club.

“That was possibly one of the worst performances I have ever put in wearing a Liverpool shirt but I was confident I would score the penalty,” Gerrard said.

Meanwhile, Avram Grant said Chelsea’s result, a 2-0 win over Fenerbahce and a place in the semi-finals, was more important than their performance on Tuesday.

The cautious Israeli coach would not be drawn over prospects for his side’s third semi-final clash with Liverpool in four years, however, saying only that he was optimistic by nature.

“I feel good because our target was to be in the semi-final. It was not easy. We started well but then it was a nervous game... the most important thing was the result.” (Reuters)