SOCCER: An angry Arsene Wenger claimed yesterday that Arsenal face a potential rash of suspensions after the match at Manchester United because the Football Association responded to "over-reaction" by the media.
Though apologising for his team's behaviour and promising "it won't happen again", Wenger insisted the condemnation had been way over the top and that the FA would "issue a charge every week" if it cracked down on similar actions elsewhere.
The manager vowed to defend the six Arsenal players charged over Sunday's game and is likely to request personal hearings. Lauren, Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Jens Lehmann, Ray Parlour and Patrick Vieira could be banned for a total of 19 matches.
"We will defend our case as strongly as we can," said Wenger, who intends to defend his comment that Ruud van Nistelrooy cheats. They (the FA) reacted to the media reaction. There was a media campaign for us to be charged and we were charged.
"I have seen things 10 times worse on the pitch (in England) not punished. Sometimes there's no reaction from . . . the media to really dangerous things that could kill people. Where on Sunday was an elbow in the face? Was anybody hurt or was there really an exchange of blows?
"We should not have reacted and we have to control that but I find the sensitivity of the country really selective. Suddenly the country is shocked, like there is never any violence in football or society. You (the media) react like these players have killed somebody."
A visibly upset Wenger argued that incidents involving his team were more likely to be highlighted on television. "If the FA said they would watch everything (from every Premiership match) and decide who they will charge, I would say okay," he said. "I have nothing against Sky but this is not the right way to act if you want to punish everybody. Someone who has no responsibility to football can decide what he wants to show.
"Some clubs can never be caught. It's like you say it's only for the Mercedes that the speed limit counts. Everyone else can drive as they want."
Asked about a possible points deduction, he said: "Why don't they put us in Division One?" Wenger said other incidents, not only Sunday's, explained the behaviour towards van Nistelrooy: "A history between van Nistelrooy and Lauren from last year in the (FA) Cup - I will give you the tape of what he did on Lauren and what he did on Keown and (Freddie) Ljungberg."
Sol Campbell's hearing over his sending off for retaliation in the Community Shield has been proposed for October 13th.
Tonight's opponent's Newcastle, meanwhile, will be without Jonathan Woodgate their visit to Highbury. The 23-year-old centre back is to undergo surgery to repair a double hernia on Saturday morning and will be out of action for up to six weeks.
Titus Bramble and Andy O'Brien seem likely to continue with Steve Caldwell providing the back-up. Lee Bowyer, who was suspended for Wednesday night's 5-0 UEFA Cup defeat of NAC Breda, returns to the squad, but there is a question mark over Nolberto Solano. Craig Bellamy will be assessed before manager Bobby Robson decides whether he can start his third game in seven days after a knee problem.
Newcastle were involved in a stormy affair at Highbury two seasons ago when they won 3-1 in December 2001 in a game which saw Bellamy and Parlour dismissed and Alan Shearer dragging Thierry Henry away from referee Graham Poll. Robson that night suggested Arsenal had to learn how to lose, although he is expecting a much more controlled approach than the one he saw last weekend.
"Because of what's happened and the huge publicity and what's been written about what occurred after the match, I think we will see a controlled Arsenal football team in that respect because all the players realise they can't do that again," he said.
"Two years ago, we beat them and there was something about their reaction at the end of the match. We went above them - we actually went top of the league on that day - and they were extremely argumentative on that occasion."
