Angry Hughes insists Arsenal winner should not have stood

QPR manager Mark Hughes insisted Arsenal’s goal in their 1-0 victory over his side should not have stood and that Stephane Mbia made “minimal contact” with Thomas Vermaelen before being sent off.

Mikel Arteta scored a late winner for the Gunners three minutes after Mbia had been dismissed for kicking out following a challenge from Vermaelen.

Hughes suggested Rangers were in control of the match before being reduced to 10 men and that Arteta’s goal was an injustice.

He said: “I’ve seen it and Arteta is offside twice. He’s offside for the initial header that Julio Cesar saves and then in the melee he’s in an offside position.

“How the referee hasn’t given that decision to us I don’t know. I asked him for an explanation and he said something about Ryan Nelsen being off the field of play so playing everyone onside.”

Hughes, whose team remain bottom of the table without a league win this season, added: “The sending-off was disappointing because we were given the initial free-kick.

“I don’t think Stephane was aware of that. He then put his leg out. There was minimal contact. It’s hard to take because we were in control of the game.

“Prior to the sending-off I made a couple of positive substitutions because I thought we were the more likely team to win the game.

“Apart from Santi Cazorla, when he blazed the ball over, I can’t remember Arsenal having too many chances.

“We didn’t come here to try and shut up shop. We played two up front as I felt there were areas of Arsenal’s team we could get at.

“It was a good, professional performance, but again we’ve not got our reward.”

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