Arsene Wenger couldn't hide his frustration after watching Sunderland hold Arsenal to a 0-0 draw at the Emirates, with the Gunners denied what their manager felt was a clear penalty and a goal that could have secured all three points for the hosts.
Andrey Arshavin went to ground in the area after a clumsy challenge from Titus Bramble, but referee Anthony Taylor brushed aside the appeal which left Wenger a frustrated spectator. The Russian also had the ball in the net, only to be denied by an incorrect offside call.
Arshavin was put through one-on-one with Simon Mignolet, but the assistant referee raised his flag. However, replays revealed that the attacker was onside and the goal that followed Arshavin's run should have counted, adding more disappointment for Wenger and his team.
In the immediate aftermath of the match, a seething Wenger told BBC Sport: "I am too disgusted to speak about it frankly. I believe Arshavin was not offside but what can you do?"
The two dropped points meant Arsenal missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Manchester United, who play Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
"If you cancel goals for offside when it is not offside it is difficult to win football games," added Wenger.
"It is not the first time. What can you say? We put a lot of commitment in the game.
"These kind of things have too big an impact on the Premier League and we are deeply disappointed.
"We are very frustrated because we gave a lot. Unfortunately we could not score, we tried everything but Sunderland defended very well.
"What can I do about it now?
"It is my job to deliver football games and the referee's job to give the right decisions.
"We have to take it on the chin and move on to the next game but we feel as though justice has not been done."
The Arsenal boss later told Sky Sports News: "He [Arshavin] was pushed, of course he was pushed.
"When you see the penalties we got [awarded against us] at Newcastle and then this kind of penalty is not given, but you take it on the chin and continue to fight but it is absolutely disappointing and not acceptable."
Overall, the Gunners manager could take few positives from the game but the Frenchman applauded Sunderland's efforts and their defensive display.
"They [Arsenal's players] gave a lot today, they put a lot of energy in but it was difficult," he explained.
"Sunderland defended very hard and showed not a lot of ambition because they have lost a lot of games recently, so we had to be patient."
He added: "We were unlucky with some bars and posts and as well.
"Arshavin is clean through without being offside, it's very, very disappointing. It's very difficult to take for us that in a game of this importance that that kind of decision goes against us. If it's offside, it's offside, but we are all disappointed. Definitely."
The efforts of Sunderland's Belgian 'keeper was another factor in Arsenal's misery as Craig Gordon's stand-in put on a wonderful display to keep out anything the hosts would throw at him and his display didn't go unnoticed by Wenger.
The Frenchman added: "Congratulations to him [Mignolet], they defended well, they played well, Sunderland. They gave absolutely everything, they played a cup game as well so it was tough to find space. We came out with 100% effort but unfortunately I have seen some things today that are difficult to take."
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