Iconic Moments in Football No.85
This week’s ‘Iconic Moment’ comes from 29th August 2009. It involved a sending off – but it wasn’t a player that received their marching orders!
Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford to face old foes Manchester United in a league match. The host were leading 2-1 going into stoppage time at the end of the game when Robin van Persie scored what everyone thought was an equaliser.
The goal wasn’t given though as van Persie’s team mate William Gallas had strayed into an offside position in the build-up. The United fans cheered that the goal had been disallowed, maybe out of relief that they hadn’t dropped two points against their biggest rivals.
Arsene Wenger watched on from the technical area on the touchline and kicked a bottle of water that was left on the ground. The Fourth Official was close by and had a word with Wenger before referee Mike Dean was made aware of what Wenger did.
Incredibly, Dean sent Wenger off from the touchline. It was almost like a school teacher sending a naughty schoolboy out of class for being naughty!
Wenger went back to his seat on the dugout, believing that he could get away with sitting there as he was only banned from standing on the touchline. Dean then ordered him away from the dugout and indicated that he wanted the Arsenal boss to move away from the dugout where he could still have an influence on the game.
The tunnel at Old Trafford is in one corner of the ground and not in the centre of the pitch like at most grounds. Wenger didn’t fancy the long trek down the touchline and instead decided to watch the last couple of minutes from somewhere he could still watch the game. He spotted a small ledge behind the dugouts that was positioned between the back of the dugout and the first row of spectators behind and decided to stand there!
Dean was still watching on from the edge of the pitch and Wenger shrugged, arms outstretched as if to say “Why not here?” before folding his arms in an act of insolence. A Manchester United official was called over by Dean and they then went to bring Wenger back from his perch and the Frenchman marched off to the tunnel.
It was all rather an embarrassing situation and made Mike Dean look rather petty. Wenger’s suggestion of standing near the United fans made light of the incident and showed an almost funny side to proceedings and made for one of the more light-hearted moments of Premier League history!
About Author
