Arsene Wenger accuses Liverpool star of cheating in Inter Milan defeat

The former Arsenal manager has hit out at the Liverpool man for his role in Alexis Sanchez’s dismissal.

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho cheated to get Inter Milan forward Alexis Sanchez sent off, according to Arsene Wenger.

Sanchez got his marching orders for two bookings just two minutes after Lautaro Martinez fired Inter ahead in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool at Anfield.

The former Arsenal and Manchester United star’s second yellow card came from a high challenge on Fabinho.

"He was cheating, he made more of it!"

More from Arsène Wenger on Fabinho's reaction to the challenge from Alexis Sanchez, adding that the Inter attacker did not want to hurt the Liverpool midfielder. #beINUCL #UCL

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‘He was cheating, he made more of it’

The red card was somewhat controversial, however, as Sanchez made contact with the ball first before he caught Fabinho on the shin.

The Brazilian, much to Wenger’s bemusement, quickly jumped back to his feet when the referee handed a card to Sanchez.

“He rode the line between cheating and being clever,” Wenger said on beIN Sports.

“Fabinho on this foul he was on the other side, he was cheating, he made more of it. Maybe he had pain and he was touched by Sanchez. You cannot say it was completely fake. But maybe he could have got up quicker.

“It’s one of these fouls…when it’s one of your players, you say it’s clever.

“When you are completely neutral like we are supposed to be, you would say he could have made less of it, but he touched him well, you cannot say he faked it.

“But he didn’t want to hurt him, he played first the ball.”

Wenger coached Sanchez at Arsenal previously between 2014 and 2018.

What next for Liverpool?

Despite losing the second leg 1-0, Liverpool won the last-16 tie 2-1 on aggregate to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will now turn their attention to Saturday’s trip to Brighton in the Premier League. Despite their away disadvantage, they are favorites to claim all three points against a Seagulls side that has lost its last four games.