Monday 19 December 2016 15:00, UK
Arsene Wenger will not face any censure from the Football Association over his comments about referee Martin Atkinson, according to Sky sources.
Wenger was critical of Atkinson after Arsenal's 2-1 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday when he claimed both of City's goals should have been chalked off for offside.
The Frenchman felt Leroy Sane had drifted past the last Arsenal defender to level the scores and claimed David Silva, in an offside position, had distracted 'keeper Petr Cech when Raheem Sterling struck what turned out to be the match-winning goal.
Immediately after the match, Wenger said: "It is well known, the referees are protected very well like the lions in the zoo, so we have to live with those decisions.
Asked to clarify his remarks, he added: "I want them to be very well protected, I want them to be safe, but if they could make the right decisions it would be even better."
Sky sources understand the FA do not believe Wenger has crossed any disciplinary line with his comments and will not be forced to explain them at a hearing.
Earlier on Monday, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said he thought both City goals were rightly allowed to stand in Ref Watch.
On Sane's goal he said: "He's marginally offside, but it's impossible to see with the naked eye. Only his boot. So I would concede it is marginally offside, but it's an incident that every referee and every linesman in the Premier League would let go."
And on Sterling's winner, Gallagher added: "As you can see he is not impacting on the goalkeeper, he is not in direct line with him, or his vision. There is a perfect angle to show he does not impact on Cech's vision. The law says he must impact on an opponent."
