Angry Moyes hits back at Wenger in Fabregas row

by Adam D Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:58 am

Everton boss David Moyes has hit back at Arsene Wenger over incidents during Tuesday's Premier League game.

Wenger criticised Moyes for going public over comments he "pretends to have heard" made by Cesc Fabregas in the tunnel at half-time.

But Moyes said: "Cesc questioned Everton's integrity by suggesting we had possibly given money to the ref.

"That's why I felt if I or any player had said that, I think it would have warranted a sending off."

Arsenal skipper Fabregas was angered by Everton striker Louis Saha's 24th-minute goal, which both managers later agreed had been scored from an offside position.

Arsenal trailed 1-0 at the interval, and Moyes claimed Fabregas then confronted referee Lee Mason.

"In doing that, he also questioned the integrity of the referees," claimed the Toffees boss.

"Arsene seems to think that I haven't seen or heard it, but you have to decide who you believe - David Moyes or Arsene Wenger - and I'm happy for people to make their own mind up on that."

Despite Moyes's very public anger over the incident, he said he would not have subsequently provided any information to the Football Association if requested.

"If Cesc gets sent off at half-time it would certainly have given us a chance," he said. "But the game has gone now, I can't do anything about the game."

Moyes also claimed Fabregas "never swore once" and had been "very calm, very calculated" when making his comments.

"It wasn't a rant, it wasn't a rave like I heard a lot of people saying," said Moyes.

"It was just straight to the point and I felt it was out of order and I felt he deserved to be sent off."

Moyes also said Fabregas's comments went beyond any criticism he had ever made of referees.

"I've shouted at the fourth official at the side of the pitch, and I've sworn at them, which I'm not proud of, and I've shouted at them going down the tunnel, but I wouldn't have said what he said to the fourth official."

Arsenal went on to win 2-1 thanks to second-half goals from Andrey Arshavin and Laurent Koscielny.

Speaking after the match, Moyes had not repeated what he claimed to have heard Fabregas saying at half-time, but said: "They were disappointing comments from someone who is such a talented footballer.

"I won't go into what they were, but they were deserving of a sending off, 100%. If you had said it on the pitch, you should have been off like that, so what is the difference when you are coming down the tunnel?"

The FA said on Wednesday that Fabregas's actions would not be investigated.

source bbc website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9388001.stm

by Davie Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:02 pm

Commentators and pundits alike seem to agree that it is disgraceful when players brandish imaginary cards to try to get players sent off - yet Moyes seems to have got off with these comments. Where is the difference?

Angry Moyes hits back at Wenger in Fabregas row

Angry Moyes hits back at Wenger in Fabregas row

Re: Angry Moyes hits back at Wenger in Fabregas row