Independent:
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 0
9-man Gunners infuriated by Diego Costa cynicism
Michael Calvin
His role as agent provocateur lured Gabriel into the rash, distracted gesture of a petulant backheel that resulted in the Arsenal defender’s dismissal just before half-time. The incident altered the dynamics of a contest with an historic undercurrent of bitterness, and provided Chelsea with the win they craved.
Arsenal ended the game with nine men when Santi Cazorla received a fully merited second caution for going over the ball in a challenge on Cesc Fabregas, whose renaissance against his former club was one of the milder sub-plots of a soap operatic occasion.
The end did not remotely justify the means, despite Jose Mourinho’s studied cynicism, casual contempt and barbed conclusion that Costa’s cartoon aggression is central to the Premier League’s box office appeal.
Arsene Wenger, openly derided by his opposite number in a manner which will intensify their enmity, trusts the Football Association will take a rather different view. He called on them to dwell on their duty of care to a game that, despite its attendant hysteria, should still expect to operate appropriate standards of mutual trust and respect.
Costa should have been dismissed for his part in a familiar sequence of bristling hostility and cunningly timed spite off the ball. He thrust both hands in Laurent Koscielny’s face before throwing an arm in the same direction and bundled the French defender to the ground.
Gabriel quickly turned from peacemaker to sparring partner. Both he and Costa were booked, but allowed to continue bickering as they walked 30 yards towards the halfway line. Referee Mike Dean, who will face calls for punitive exile in the Championship for a myopic, revealingly emotional performance, could not miss Gabriel’s backheel, or Costa’s squawk of protest.
Costa was substituted 10 minutes from time, after another menacing moment with Arsenal substitute Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. Mourinho’s thumbs up gesture towards the striker signalled his reversion to type.
He taunted Wenger and derided a reporter who dared question Costa’s conduct: “ I can guess when you were a kid you played badminton.” For the record, he played rugby – something for Mourinho to contemplate when he watches the All Blacks against Argentina at Wembley.
Chelsea’s manager had been in quixotic mood, even as the teams lined up in the tunnel beforehand. He was out early, sitting languidly in the sunshine with his feet up. He could not have been more aware of the cameras focused on him had he flaunted a home-made banner proclaiming his genius. He took the initiative as Wenger swerved around fourth official Michael Oliver. The managers’ handshake lasted a nanosecond and did not involve the common courtesy of eye contact.
Mourinho relished the abuse from the travelling fans with a shrug of the shoulders, and responded to the acclaim from Chelsea supporters with a regal wave. He didn’t so much unveil his team as thumb his nose at his critics by excluding John Terry, who began on the bench in the League for the first time since May 2013, and naming the underperforming Branislav Ivanovic as captain.
Terry was later identified by Mourinho as “my man”, but would have been discomforted by the equivalent of seeing his life flash before his eyes when Kurt Zouma, his prospective long-term replacement, was allowed to run on to a Fabregas free kick in the 52nd minute.
The French tyro headed past Petr Cech with minimal interference from Nacho Monreal and Alexis Sanchez, who had the responsibility of covering the far post area. A mocking chant of “we are staying up” segued into a chorus of “we’re champions of England, we know what we are.” Any remaining fretfulness ended with Chelsea’s second goal as the match ebbed into added time.
Mourinho was not inclined to dwell on the good fortune of Eden Hazard’s shot going in thanks to a substantial deflection off the arm of Calum Chambers. He dashed up the steps to hug his son and embraced Michael Emenalo, Chelsea’s politically adroit technical director.
He high-fived the rest of his staff at the final whistle, while Wenger bustled down the tunnel without a backward glance. Wenger has yet to win in a dozen Premier League matches against Chelsea under Mourinho; the Community Shield offers no compensation. They can never be friends, since their characters and philosophies are so contrasting.
The Portuguese coach remains an earworm, burrowing into the Frenchman’s sub-conscious, and could not resist the chance to deepen the rift. “I am proud of my people. I have played against Arsenal 12 times. Only once he didn’t moan. On that day we lost the Cup [Community Shield]. It was not good for us but we behaved in a fantastic way. I have to cope with my defeats. Tonight he has to cope with his defeat.”
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Ivanovic , Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas ( Mikel 90); Pedro, Oscar ( Ramires 68), Hazard; Costa (Remy 80).
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin (Chambers 46), Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil(Chamberlain 74), Sanchez ( Giroud 74) Walcott.
Referee: Mike Dean
Match Rating: 6/10
Man of Match: Cesc Fabregas
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Observer:
Chelsea leave nine-man Arsenal seeing red after vital Premier League win
Daniel Taylor
It has taken some time but, finally, there is the sense that the old Chelsea are back: winning matches, driving Arsène Wenger close to the point of spontaneous combustion and with Diego Costa showing all his various faces, good and bad, attractive and appalling. Costa does not just leave a mark on football matches when he behaves in this manner; he leaves a stain. It was another example of his hard-faced villainy and he will have delighted at seeing Arsenal fall into the trap and never climb back out.
Wenger expressed amazement afterwards about Costa’s ability to “get away with it every week” and it was undoubtedly naive on Gabriel’s part to become so riled he eventually flicked out a boot to provoke the red card that turned the game against Arsenal at the end of the first half. Gabriel spent so long trying to pursue the argument, eventually ushered away by a security guard in a fluorescent orange jacket, it could conceivably lead to a disciplinary charge for Arsenal. Yet the more serious repercussions came in the form of the goal from Kurt Zouma that gave Chelsea their lead and, from that point, everything quickly unravelled for Wenger’s team.
Arsenal were down to nine men when Eden Hazard’s deflected shot sealed the victory in stoppage time and there was certainly no debate about the validity of the two yellow cards for Santi Cazorla – one on Pedro just after the half-hour and another for clattering Cesc Fàbregas after 79 minutes – that meant the away side finished in disarray. With 10 men, Arsenal had barely threatened to find a way back into the match. With nine, their chances were somewhere between minimal and nonexistent.
Hazard’s late effort took a lucky ricochet off Calum Chambers and this felt like the day Chelsea shook their heads clear after their worst start to a top-division season since 1986. Mourinho’s decision to leave out Chelsea’s captain, John Terry, in favour of Zouma was justified by the younger man’s display. The champions kept their first clean sheet of the league season and, presumably, they will like to think they can still clamber back into the reckoning for another title. It is just a pity, perhaps, that the origins of this victory were so unsatisfactory and, by now, we should know enough about Costa to suspect he will reflect on that unpleasant little exchange with Gabriel as accomplished centre-forward play.
Costa spends so long trying to pick fights and disturb the opposition there was always going to be someone who took the bait. More fool Gabriel that he was the one. Yet there was not a great deal to admire about Costa’s behaviour and, unless Mourinho can tell us otherwise, there seems to be absolutely no desire within the club for him to change.
It was a squalid incident laced with cunning and Gabriel, as Wenger admitted, was daft in the extreme to be drawn in. Costa’s initial intention was to get under the skin of Laurent Koscielny, swiping him across the face with the accidental-on-purpose style that forms part of a well-rehearsed routine. Koscielny swung him to the ground and, from that point onwards, it was an exercise in calculated skulduggery. Costa chest-bumped Koscielny with enough force to put the defender on his backside and, though Gabriel’s initial role was to get between the two and act as peacemaker, it quickly descended into a separate argument.
Both players were shown a yellow card but continued chuntering at one another all the way back to the centre circle until Gabriel, with his back to his opponent, flicked out his leg in a way to signal his irritation rather than actually hurt Costa. Gabriel was on his feet but the way he brought back his boot was reminiscent of David Beckham’s sending-off against Diego Simeone in the 1998 World Cup. It was a straight red card and Costa’s plan had worked.
Wenger decided to remove Francis Coquelin at half-time because the player was suffering a knee injury. Arsenal were suddenly without their one naturally defensive midfielder as well as being a man down. Calum Chambers replaced Coquelin and went into Gabriel’s position in defence but it was probably inevitable that the reorganisation would leave Arsenal vulnerable.
Eight minutes into the second half, Chelsea had a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Fàbregas, who showed glimpses of his old self, clipped the ball into the penalty area, Zouma lost Nacho Monreal at the far post and Petr Cech, on his return to Stamford Bridge, could not keep out the downward header.
Arsenal could be forgiven for linking everything back to the red card but it is also true that Wenger’s men had lost their momentum after an encouraging start during which Alexis Sánchez was a difficult opponent for Branislav Ivanovic and Theo Walcott’s speed and directness posed problems. Arsenal began like a team that quickly wanted to explore whether Chelsea’s confidence might be a little brittle. The passing was crisp and the movement was good but they lacked real presence in attack and, though Chelsea took a while to get going, the home side had the greater threat in attack.
Costa created all sorts of legitimate problems – “man of the match” Mourinho announced – and Hazard put in an improved performance, even if he was still somewhere short of last season’s exhilarating standards. His shot flew in off Chambers and Wenger, having reluctantly shaken Mourinho’s hand at the start, was straight down the tunnel at the end.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 0
Gabriel and Santi Cazorla sent off as Gunners implode at Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea restored order with a battling 2-0 win over nine-man Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The champions won at home for the first time in the Barclays Premier League this season as Kurt Zouma headed in and Eden Hazard's late shot ricocheted in off Calum Chambers.
The Blues, now unbeaten in eight league games with the Gunners, benefited from Arsenal indiscipline as Gabriel was sent off after a series of altercations with Diego Costa and Santi Cazorla followed for two bookable offences.
Chelsea striker Costa might have seen red himself after catching Laurent Koscielny with a flailing arm and chest-butting the Frenchman.
When Gabriel intervened, he became the subject of Costa's attention and the Gunners defender naively retaliated.
After both men were booked by referee Mike Dean, Gabriel kicked Costa and was shown a straight red card.
Mourinho would argue the Brazilian should have conceded a penalty by then after earlier grappling with Hazard.
It mattered not as Arsene Wenger suffered the familiar feeling of defeat to Mourinho's Chelsea.
The bitter rivals shook hands in the moments before kick-off in a temporary truce to their feud.
Wenger recorded a first win over his bitter rival at the 14th attempt in August's Community Shield, but evaded the Portuguese post-match.
Mourinho had been in position to congratulate his rival and he offered his hand this time and it was accepted.
Both sides had plenty to prove; Chelsea that talk of a crisis was wrong and Arsenal that they can contend for the title.
After five matches, no team had conceded more than Chelsea's 12 goals and, fearful of Arsenal's pace, Mourinho left out captain John Terry again.
The pace was furious, but accuracy was lacking and so were opportunities.
Arsenal would not be cowed by Chelsea and the soft underbelly of recent seasons was not in evidence.
Costa was lively and saw one drive held by Petr Cech, who returned to Stamford Bridge as an Arsenal player following 11 years' distinguished service as a Blue.
Theo Walcott, again chosen to lead the line, saw a tame effort held by Asmir Begovic and next Cech smothered as Pedro tried to control a Cesc Fabregas pass over the top.
Zouma recovered from a slip to block Walcott as he threatened to go through one on one and Aaron Ramsey hesitated when he had a chance to finish an Arsenal counter.
Chelsea's control on the game grew and Cech punched away a Pedro drive before Costa and Koscielny grappled, with the striker pushing the defender in the face and flinging out his arm.
Arsenal's Theo Walcott in action with Chelsea's Gary Cahill
He went to ground and next barged the Frenchman with his chest on standing up.
Gabriel became involved, needlessly, and saw red.
Zouma headed in Fabregas' set-piece at the back post to give Chelsea the lead and Hazard stung the hands of Cech soon after.
Alexis Sanchez scuffed a half-chance after Chelsea allowed the ball to bounce in the area.
Walcott fired over and Hazard shot wide across goal when Chelsea responded.
Costa wanted a spot-kick for tussle with Hector Bellerin before Arsenal's numerical disadvantage was doubled when Cazorla received a second yellow card for tripping Fabregas.
Cech could do nothing about Hazard's shot, which deflected wickedly off Chambers for Chelsea's second.
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Mail:
Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal:
Kurt Zouma and Eden Hazard goals settle feisty London derby for Jose Mourinho's side as visitors end clash with nine men following Gabriel and Santi Cazorla red cards
Diego Costa was the subject in question and the conversation went back and forth. ‘Should he have been sent off?,’ Jose Mourinho was asked for a third time.
‘I think you should be speaking about Gabriel Paulista,’ he said, virtually spitting the words out in fury. ‘He made a mistake.’
So what was Mourinho’s assessment of Costa’s role in this game? ‘Man of the match for me,’ he said, again with equal defiance.
And, of course, he was right, just not, perhaps, in the way he intended.
This match was the epitome of what the Premier League has become. The theatre was as much in the post-match analysis, both managers trading insults at each other and their respective teams.
And yet there is no doubt that Costa turned this match in Chelsea’s favour. Arsene Wenger’s team were lured into a fight they could never win, a streetwise scrap. They lost their heads and consequently the game, ending up with nine men on the pitch.
Yet even though both Gabriel and Santi Cazorla’s red cards were entirely legitimate, a powerful sense of injustice pervaded. That’s just how it is with Costa; he gets right under your skin. And so it is with Chelsea. With just the one victory in the Premier League, they had to find a way to win; any way would do.
The pivotal incident occurred at the end of the first half. Costa’s arms were all over Koscielny’s face as they battled; another pass came and he aimed slapped at the Frenchman’s face, his first potential red card.
Costa fell but sprung up and body checked Koscielny to the floor, a potential second red card. Gabriel, incensed, grabbed Costa around the neck and aimed a slap. He might have gone for that but Mike Dean decided a yellow card a piece sufficed.
Like squabbling toddlers, each desired the last word. Costa had it, emphatically. Whispering into Gabriel’s ear, he provoked a flick of the foot from the Arsenal defender, reminiscent of David Beckham’s in 1998; not especially offensive but enough to register as violent conduct.
What looked bad for Dean was that he delayed as the Chelsea players harangued him before he produced the red card. When it came, Gabriel could barely control himself and only the constraining presence of team-mates prevented him from doing himself further damage.
‘This is my question,’ said Mourinho, using his favourite trick of turning on inquisitors. ‘I played my first derby in September, 2000: Benfica against Porto. And I told my players before the game you need emotional control. Without emotional control, forget it. We don’t win.
‘If you want to speak about Diego Costa with me it’s just to say he played like he has to play and that’s why you have full stadiums and you sell to television around the world for millions and millions; because the game has to be played like that. That’s why tomorrow I will go to what I consider comparable in terms in dedication and passion: New Zealand and Argentina.
Invoking the spirit of rugby to cover the multitude of Costa’s sins might have been a jarring analogy. Rugby invented bloodgate, but in general it’s never a sport as streetwise as football.
Costa undeniably plays with passion but had Dean done his job, he would have been sent off and then who would have been crowing about emotional control?
Unsurprisingly, that was Wenger’s view. ‘Costa can do what he wants and he stays on. Everyone else that responds to him has to be sent off. It’s unacceptable. He always gets away with it. I don’t understand Mike Dean’s decision at all. Why does Diego Costa stay on the pitch and Gabriel is sent off? For me, he is always provoking and also uses the naivity of Mike Dean in this game.
Mourinho had his riposte to hand. ‘I played against Arsenal 15 times and only once he didn’t moan. And that day we lost the game, we lost the Cup. No excuses. Not crying, not moaning.’ The last laugh always seems to go to Mourinho.
After an absorbing first half which had produced precious few goal-scoring chances, the solidity which Arsenal had shown broke down quickly once they were down to ten men. With Calum Chambers being forced on to replace Francis Coquelin, who had been excellent spoiler, their vulnerabilities were soon exposed.
On 52 minutes, Cesc Fabregas sent over a looping free kick, perfectly-pitched, as only rare talents like the Spaniard can manage. Yet Nachon Monreal and Alexis Sanchez should share the blame as to how Kurt Zouma found himself in quite so much space to head home firmly for 1-0.
Thereafter Arsenal unsurprisingly struggled to get back on the front foot though and when the ball did finally drop for Alexis Sanchez on the hour, after a mistake from Gary Cahill, the Chilean misfired horribly.
Olivier Giroud and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were introduced to spark a late flurry. That strategy was wholly undone when Cazorla, doubtless frustrated, slid into win a loose ball outside the box, and caught Fabregas’ shin high on 79 minutes. Having incurred an earlier yellow for a trip on Pedro, the second yellow was inevitable.
A late goal would be added on 90minutes when Eden Hazard snapped up a loose ball and shot against Chambers, who deflected into his own net. But the contest had long since ended by then. Wenger could only despair and rage against perceived injustice. Mourinho? There wasn’t even the merest sign of a smirk.
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Mirror:
Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal: 5 things we learned as Zouma and Hazard goals see off 9-man Gunners
By John Cross
The visitors saw Gabriel and Santi Cazorla sent off either side of Kurt Zouma's headed goal, with Eden Hazard securing the points for the champions
Chelsea got back their splutter Premier League campaign back on track with a feisty 2-0 win over old rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
A bad tempered first half erupted just before the break when Gunners defender Gabriel saw red for clashing with Blues striker Diego Costa, who was lucky to stay on the pitch himself.
The champions made their numeric advantage pay after the break when Kurt Zouma - replacing skipper John Terry in Jose Mourinho's starting line-up - nodded home to score his first Premier League goal.
Any hopes of an Arsenal comeback receded when Santi Cazorla was also shown red, receiving his marching orders for a second bookable offence after his mistimed tackle on Cesc Fabregas.
Eden Hazard made sure of the points when his shot deflected off Calum Chambers in stoppage time.
1) Handshakes mean nothing
Jose Mourinho was determined to shake hands with Arsene Wenger.
You suspect it was more about seizing a chance to take the moral high ground rather than actually wanting to end the long-running feud.
But Mourinho didn’t look as if he wanted to do it. Wenger avoided all eye contact. The handshake became blandshake.
It has become a side show and it’s interesting because it’s often the only visible way you can see whether the managers like each other or not or, more to the point, dislike each other.
This was meaningless. It was done purely to stop people talking about the issue. They didn’t actually mean it.
2) Diego Costa is the biggest wind up merchant going
Early on, Costa went down and started waving an imaginary card to try and get Francis Coquelin booked. I thought the directive was to book players for imaginary cards. It wasn’t even a foul.
That signalled his intentions and Arsenal should have been smart enough not to take the bait.
So when Costa had a bust-up with Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel, they should have been clever enough not to react.
Gabriel reacted, it was a petulant flick of the heel - a bit like Beckham in France 98 - and that was enough to get himself sent off.
Costa could have been sent off. But wasn’t because he’s a master of the dark arts. He tricked Gabriel, the referee and helped Chelsea win the game.
3) Oscar is such an important player
Oscar was perhaps the surprise in an attack minded team, playing in the No10 role.
Despite often being left out towards the end of last season, you realise Oscar’s importance to the team as he links between midfield and attack, often spotting the through ball.
He is an important player for Chelsea and they look better with him in the starting line-up.
They are much more balanced. There was some better displays with Eden Hazard and Cesar Azpilicueta also performing much better.
4) John Terry is on his way out
Whether we agree it’s right or not, Terry is being eased out of Stamford Bridge.
Not being included in the starting line-up in a game like against Arsenal would have hurt him deeply.
It’s also a clear sign that, from last season where he played every minute of every Premier League game, he is now seen as a weak link.
Personally, I don’t agree. Still a good leader and defender. But Jose Mourinho clearly feels age and pace mean that he misses out against the better teams who have pace.
5) Chelsea have still got the measure of Arsenal
We expected one of Chelsea’s defenders to be the weakest link.
In fact, it was Nacho Monreal who was left most exposed and was the worst defender on the pitch.
Eden Hazard had his best game for ages. Chelsea’s start to the season has been disastrous and has left them shorn of confidence.
If there’s one way to get it back then it’s a game against Arsenal. Arsene Wenger had managed just one win in 14 games against Jose Mourinho and now it’s 15.
Some teams just have the measure of others. Playing Arsenal was a dream for Chelsea. It gets them firmly back on track.
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Express:
Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0: Mourinho beats Wenger (again) as two Gunners see red in derby clash
It’s about time Diego Costa took delivery of madcap Mario Balotelli’s well worn t-shirt with ‘Why always me? emblazoned on the front.
By John Richardson
Because the Brazilian born Spanish international could start an argument in an empty room - and yes Diego when there’s a ruck it is usually you.
This spikey street-fighter who occasionally puts his mind to scoring goals was at the heart of Arsenal defender Gabriel’s sending off and centre-circle rumpus which is likely to have more consequences for the Gunners.
Gabriel didn’t go quietly after seeing red, having to be restrained from attacking Costa who he will know only too well from their time – and no doubt spats - together in La Liga.
Inevitably Costa had started it all inside the Arsenal penalty area shoving a hand into Laurent Koscielny’s face before barging the Frenchman to the floor. In came Gabriel and after a shoving match of their own both players were yellow carded.
The antipathy between the two clubs ensured it wouldn’t end there with another coming together some forty yards from the original flashpoint, referee Mike Dean spotting Gabriel, not exactly the angel Gabriel, sneakily kicking out at Costa.
It was a straight red – and Costa didn’t even have the good grace to turn crimson with embarrassment at being outed as the agent provocateur.
“Football can be pathetic sometimes.”tweeted former England captain Michael Vaughan . Safe to say this wasn’t one of the old game’s finest moments.
The majority of the rest of the football probably belonged in the Colosseum - not that it bothered Chelsea as they emerged with a much needed victory.
For Gunners boss Arsene Wenger it all got a whole lot worse, a first ever league goal for Kurt Zouma - meaning that normal service had been resumed in battles against Mourinho’s Chelsea -and seeing his side reduced to nine men with Santi Cazorla earning a deserved second yellow card.
Eden Hazard increased the pain with a late strike which cannoned off Arsenal substitute Calum Chambers and past Chelsea old boy Petr Cech.
All this and having to shake bitter rival Mourinho’s hand as well – at least before the game, Wenger scurrying back to the dressing room while the Portuguese hugged everyone in sight.
As handshakes go it was as genuine as a forged bank note but priceless all the same – pure farce.
Mourinho had it appeared deliberately blocked Wenger’s route to the sanctuary of his dug-out seat, standing at the head of the tunnel.
When the Chelsea boss placed out his hand there was no way to go for Wenger who obliged with the enthusiasm of a man on the way to the gallows.
Some fed up Gooners believe it’s time for Wenger to depart and after this latest set back the pressure has moved from West to North London.
It’s now six draws and eight defeats in games against Mourinho – his only respite coming with victory in August’s Community Shield.
That will seem a long time ago for those of a Arsenal persuasion, not helped by the news last week that there is £200 million sitting in the Gunners bank.
Out of the abrasive collision somehow came two goals, the first a header from Zouma following a Cesc Fabregas free-kick just after the break which even brought the benched John Terry off the bench.
Eden Hazard forced Cech into a fine stop before Costa slowly walked off to a standing ovation from the Chelsea fans who understandably can see no evil.
They were soon back on their feet to salute Hazard’s late goal, the Belgian pouncing after Loic Remy had seen an effort blocked.
Chelsea had shown their muscle in more ways than one.
Chelsea: Begovic; Ivanovic, Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas (Mikel 90); Pedro, Oscar (Ramires 68), Hazard; Costa (Pedro 81).
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Koscielny, Gabriel, Monreal; Coquelin (Chanbers 46), Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil (Giroud 75), Sanchez (Oxlade-Chamberlain 75); Walcott.
Referee: M. Dean.
Att: 41,584
Man of the match: Cesc Fabregas. Sprang into life for his best game of the season so far against his old club.
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Star:
Chelsea 2 Arsenal 0: Jose Mourinho hails controversial Diego Costa as man of the match
JOSE MOURINHO said villain of the piece Diego Costa was his man of the match as Chelsea got their title hopes controversially back on track.
By Tony Stenson
Costa was at the centre of the storm when Gunners defender Gabriel was sent off right at the end of the first half.
Furious Arsene Wenger felt Costa’s bully-boy tactics were ‘unacceptable’ and has called for the FA to watch a video of the match.
Arsenal boss Wenger said: “He gets away with it every week. He can do what he wants.”
But Chelsea boss Mourinho hit back by saying: “Costa was my man of the match.
“I said before the match I had to deal with my defeats. Now Wenger has to deal with his.
“We had a referee that denied us two penalties.
“People who ask questions about physical performances must play badminton.
“This league is watched by millions worldwide because of its passion and that’s what we had.”
Arsenal actually finished the game with NINE men after having Santi Cazorla sent off as well for a lunge on Cesc Fabregas late on.
Earlier, Gabriel saw red for flicking a heel at Costa after the pair had both been booked.
Ironically, the Brazil defender had originally been a peacemaker after the Spain striker slapped Laurent Koscielny in the face twice and then barged him over.
Wenger said: “Costa can do what he wants and he stays on while everyone who responds has to be sent off.
“I think his behaviour is unacceptable. Look at the pictures and what he does to Koscielny.
“He pushes him down and hits him in the face before the throw. And he always gets away with it. I don’t understand Mike Dean’s decision.
“Why does Costa stay on the pitch? I accept Gabriel is sent off, he cannot act like that at all.
“The FA should see the action. That is the least they could do but Costa will do the same next week and the week after –and he always gets away with it.
“Gabriel should not get involved but Koscielny has no choice.
“We expected that sort of game but also expected the referee to make the right decisions.
“Going down to 10 men made it very difficult for us in the second half.
“I still feel we controlled the game quite well, 10 v eleven, but it was frustrating to concede at a set-piece.
“We came back into the game for the final 20 minutes but then Cazorla is sent off and it’s game over.”
The Blues secured their first home win of the season and stretched their unbeaten league run against Arsenal to eight matches thanks to goals by Kurt Zouma and an own goal by Calum Chambers.
Zouma headed in from a Fabregas free-kick in the 53rd minute.
Eden Hazard then burst into the action with a fierce shot that Petr Cech, on his Stamford Bridge return, punched out.
But he was left stranded in the final minute of normal time when Hazard’s shot went in off Chambers.
The afternoon had started with a handshake – although Wenger couldn’t avoid it as Mourinho stood in front of him as he came on to the pitch and thrust out a hand.
