‘A clear, clear dive’: Brentford furious after Arsenal match-winner escapes red card

Kai Havertz scored a 86th minute winner at the Emirates but Thomas Frank said the Arsenal striker should not have been on the pitch

Kai Havertz celebrates after scoring Arsenal’s winner (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Brentford manager Thomas Frank claimed Arsenal foward Kai Havertz should not have been on the pitch when he headed in his late winner at the Emirates.

Havertz was booked for catching Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer with a stray arm in the first half of the Premier League clash, but then escaped punishment despite appearing to dive in an attempt to win a penalty after the break.

Brentford had equalised before half time when Aaron Ramsdale was caught on the ball by Yoane Wissa, but Havertz rescued Mikel Arteta’s side as he headed in Ben White’s cross for their eighth Premier League win in a row.

But Frank, who did not see see the incident during the match, said the Germany international was lucky to still be on the pitch to score the goal that saw Arsenal return to the top of the table.

“Havertz is a clear, clear dive,” Frank said. “I wish they would just admit it. I don’t know if he has because that happens all the time, every week someone is doing it. I know it happens.

“That should of course been a second yellow and a red card. And then he wouldn’t be able to score the winner and hopefully maybe we would have gained a little bit more momentum, maybe to win the game.”

Arsenal had scored 31 goals in their previous seven Premeir League games but Brentford frustrated the hosts and Frank said his injury-hit side were close to a “defensive masterclass” against the title challengers.

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta praised Havertz and said the £60m summer signing for showing his worth after a difficult start to life at the Emirates following his move from Chelsea.

Havertz has now scored in four straight Premier League games for the first time and Arteta said: “If somebody told me after the first two or three months that the whole stadium would be singing his song with that passion, with that feeling, with that chemistry, I would have found it hard to believe.

“That’s what happens to good people. He’s an exceptional player. When he starts to score goals like this and everything starts to flow people feel more connected with him.”