[EPL] Arsenal 4 - 2 Bolton
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Top Gunners! Arsenal hit the front in title race but Bolton boss Owen Coyle rages at William Gallas 'assault'
Arsenal went top of the Premier League after a stunning comeback against Bolton Wanderers - but their controversial equaliser drew criticism from Bolton boss Owen Coyle.
Arsene Wenger’s side came from 2-0 down to thump four goals past Coyle’s men. They now lead the title race on goals scored from Chelsea, while Liverpool are up to sixth thanks to Dirk Kuyt’s double in a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
The Gunners had referee Alan Wiley to thank for their 52nd-minute equaliser after the official waved play on despite a dreadful challenge by William Gallas on Mark Davies.
Fury: Coyle confronts referee Wiley at the end
Coyle raged: ‘It was akin to assault and it changed the game.’
With the Bolton player clutching his right ankle on the floor, Arsenal continued. Andrey Arshavin slipped a pass to Cesc Fabregas, who danced through the Bolton defence and hit a right-foot finish from a tight angle through Jussi Jaaskelainen’s legs.
Davies left the field on a stretcher and had an X-ray last night to determine the extent of the damage.
Bolton boss Coyle said: ‘It was not just a foul - probably closer to a red card. Arsenal, being full of fair play as we keep hearing, have carried on and scored on the break.
‘It was a bad tackle. Gallas has touched absolutely none of that ball and he’s caught the boy. It was clear, the lad was clearly in agony.
‘You know when you’ve caught somebody, but the only man who knows that is William Gallas. The referee said he never saw it. I was 40 yards away and I saw it. Maybe he was at a bad angle.’
Arsenal boss Wenger condemned the home fans who jeered Davies as he was taken off the field and added: ‘I’m sorry if the tackle was not good and I apologise.
Gallas: came under fire from Bolton boss Owen Coyle
‘But the players didn’t even know what was happening behind them. That’s why I don’t believe you can kick the ball out every time a player is down when you win the ball.
That’s why they changed the rule. We got some big tackles, but we had to cope with it.
‘If it’s a foul, it’s a foul. It didn’t look dirty from the outside.’Conceding such a controversial equaliser affected Bolton, who had taken the lead after just seven minutes when Kevin Davies beat Thomas Vermaelen to a poor Gael Clichy clearance and Gary Cahill blasted the visitors ahead.
Coyle’s side doubled their advantage after 28 minutes when a clumsy challenge by Denilson on Chung-Yong Lee gifted Bolton a penalty. Matthew Taylor duly converted the spot kick.
But Tomas Rosicky started the Arsenal fightback just before half-time after Fabregas had escaped the shackles of his marker Fabrice Muamba to feed the right winger.
Vermaelen then fired Arsenal ahead with a left-foot finish before Arshavin completed the win with five minutes left.
Meanwhile, Arsenal defender Sol Campbell is suing Portsmouth for £1.7million in alleged unpaid image rights fees and bonuses.
Top Gunners: Cesc Fabregas fires home for Arsenal
Pompey’s former captain, 35, claims the cash-strapped club owe him £1.67m, plus more than £60,000 in interest.
Campbell’s writ was lodged with the High Court earlier this month. It claims Portsmouth agreed to pay him £20,000 a week for the first year, and £30,000 for the last two years of his contract, to use his image in commercial and sponsorship deals.
In addition, Campbell should allegedly have received a £500,000 bonus for making 25 appearances in Premier League and FA Cup games in 2008-09.
Portsmouth confirmed receipt of the writ and a club spokesman said: ‘The matter is being dealt with by our lawyers.’
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