Sport nationLopetegui Left Seething as West Ham Fall to Heavy Defeat Against Arsenal
West Ham United’s dismal defeat at the hands of Arsenal has left manager Julen Lopetegui fuming, with the Spaniard questioning the officiating that allowed the Gunners to score from a contentious corner kick.
The Hammers’ 5-2 loss at the London Stadium was a chastening experience for Lopetegui’s side, who had begun the week on a high note with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United. However, their momentum was short-lived as they succumbed to a heavy defeat against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Lopetegui’s ire was directed at the referee’s failure to spot a foul on Lucas Paquetá during the build-up to Arsenal’s opening goal. The West Ham manager revealed that he had discussed the Gunners’ set-piece tactics with the referee prior to the match, but his warnings were ignored.
“I think that we deserved two goals in the first half, but they didn’t deserve five,” Lopetegui reflected. “There is one player that bumped into the back of Paquetá [prior to the opening goal] with the only intention that he can’t jump. The rules have to be the same for all of us. The first was a set piece that we prepared, and in my opinion, it has been a very, very clear injustice to the players because of this inconsistency.
Sport nation
Amina Umar