Arsenal managed to hold on to a slim one goal lead despite going down to 10-man in their 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Boxing Day.
The Gunners dominated the first half but only managed to score one goal courtesy of Sanchez, who found the back of the net from a Gibbs cross.
We started well after the break but what should have been a comfortable victory turned into a nervy affair when Giroud was sent off. The Frenchman tumbled to the pitch after being shoved by Onuoha into on rushing keeper Robert Green. He immediately stood up and seemed to clash heads with the defender, although it was very minute contact the referee was left to make a decision.
Arsenal scored the 2nd goal around the hour mark, when Rosicky finished with a cool head after some brilliant work from Sanchez and just when we thought it was all over, the referee came up with another no brainer,
He awarded a penalty to QPR despite Debuchy winning the ball, which Austin slotted home to make it 2-1. The Rangers put a lot of pressure on the Gunners defence in the final moments but couldn’t find the back of the net. It would have been clear cut win for Arsenal, if not for all those awful decisions from the referee.
Here are some of the tweets from the game
Alexis Sanchez is out of this world, works so hard and then has the skill and pace he was superb tonight #AFC #COYG
— Arsenal FC (@Adham_Arsenal) December 26, 2014
Rosicky is class. #Arsenal pic.twitter.com/aohD2etGDg
— Arsenal Related ⚽ (@ArsenalsRelated) December 26, 2014
YEEES VICTORY!
OOOH ARSENAL WE LOVE YOU!
— Arsenal Related ⚽ (@ArsenalsRelated) December 26, 2014
What a player #Sanchez is!?! Another great game today & hard to understand why #LFC didn't snap him up as part of Suarez sale?! #class #afc
— Martin Dolce (@MartinDolce) December 26, 2014
Alexis is by far our player of the season. We need more like him #AFC
— Mr Meena (@Jfish1John) December 26, 2014
Rosicky, one of those incredibly quiet successes like Milner – shown a great determination to be in the side #AFC #MOTD
— Adam Clark (@AdamClarkers) December 26, 2014
Great to see Rosicky back today! Class act for a player who has hardly featured for us this season. #AFC.
— Ibrahim Banks (@TheShowOff85) December 27, 2014
Serious note: Alexis should practice more penalties, he missed one in the World Cup against Brazil too. Anyways, amazing player. #afc
— Arsenal Related ⚽ (@ArsenalsRelated) December 26, 2014
No excuse for Giroud's reaction but the QPR player should really be rushed straight off to hospital for an MRI on such a severe head butt!
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) December 26, 2014
If you're going to head-butt him, do him properly. Leave him floored. Poor & weak by Giroud.
— FK² (@fkhanage) December 26, 2014
BFG kicked in the box = no pen, Debuchy takes the ball not the man = pen #standard #Arsenal
— Scötty Gööner (@sbgoodguy) December 26, 2014
Arsenal have a stonewall penalty waved away, QPR go up the other end & are given a penalty that wasn't….
Well played ref…#AFC— Carl Bövis ⚽ (@CarlBovis_AFC) December 26, 2014
Regardless, if any officiating decision had actually been correct today we still would have won #AFC
— .jpeg (@YeezusNavas) December 26, 2014
https://twitter.com/TheOxTyler/status/548628106568024064
That QPR penalty decision was absolutely ridiculous. Atkinson so awful. #afc
— David (@Davo_614) December 26, 2014
I know putting your head in a players face is deemed as a red but really? #Onuoha #snipers went down like George groves. #ARSvQPR #afc #QPR
— James Edward Smith (@jamiesmith_80) December 26, 2014
Caught up on @Arsenal game, deserved victory & red card for Giroud. I hope @FA are going to take action against Rio Ferdinand?? #COYG #AFC
— Swanny76 (@Swanny_76) December 26, 2014
What did you think of Arsenal’s performance?