Wenger fumes over Everton equaliser as Arsenal boss claims Lukaku was offside

Wenger fumes over Everton equaliser as Arsenal boss claims Lukaku was offside

Arsene Wenger was unhappy Everton’s late equaliser was allowed to stand after Arsenal missed the chance to go seven points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League.
Gerard Deulofeu’s brilliant 84th-minute equaliser cancelled out Mesut Ozil’s opener as Roberto Martinez’s side followed up their win at Manchester United last Wednesday with an impressive point at the Emirates Stadium.
But the Arsenal manager, who was also unhappy with what he perceived as Everton’s physical approach, was disappointed the Spaniard’s goal was allowed to stand after replays showed Romelu Lukaku was offside in the build-up to the leveller. 

Rough: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claims Romelu Lukaku was off side in the build up to Everton's goal

Line change: Wenger made a triple substitution in the 68th minute in a bid to break the 0-0 deadlock

The Arsenal manager also felt the Belgium international had committed a foul on Laurent Koscielny with an attempted bicycle kick just seconds before Deulofeu’s strike.
‘I think he was offside and he made a foul before the goal but the referee didn’t give it,’ said Wenger.
‘But it doesn’t mean that we have to concede the goal because of it. 
‘Deulofeu, you have to give him credit. He took his goal very well. You have to accept it.’ 

Leaders: Mesut Ozil finished from close range after a Theo Walcott header to put Arsenal ahead on 80 minutes

Blast back: Wojciech Szczesny's acrobatics couldn't stop Gerard Deulofeu equalizer on 84 minutes

Four Everton players were booked on Sunday and Wenger looked increasingly agitated by the visitors’ approach during the encounter.
And Wenger said: ‘I believe the problem is that they put very good pressure on us when we got the ball back to stop our flow. We had problems to get into the flow of the game but when we got into the passing, they stopped us every time with a foul.  
‘And I believe the disadvantage of applying high pressure is that if you are not winning the ball back, you can be outnumbered.

Lay down the law: Wenger instructs right back Carl Jenkinson and Ozil on the sideline

'To make a foul without being punished by the referee is a huge advantage because after that you play ten against ten in one half again.
‘I feel overall that’s maybe a new problem for the referees because everybody puts pressure on the opponents high up (the field) and, of course, on the condition that if they don’t win the ball back they foul.’ 
During Sunday’s contest, Arsenal were drawn against north London rivals Tottenham in the FA Cup third round and Wenger joked: ‘I heard it was Tottenham. We don’t have enough tough games, so they gave us another one.’