Ian Wright has claimed Marcelo Bielsa may have concocted a plan to get Nicolas Pepe sent off for Arsenal against Leeds United on Sunday.
The Whites played out a goalless draw with Arsenal at the weekend as they had the better of the chances but failed to find the back of the net.
Arsenal's task was made harder when Pepe headbutted Ezgjan Alioski early in the second half, with the Leeds defender appearing to have got under the winger's skin.
Speaking on his Wrighty's House podcast, Gunners legend Wright said he would not be surprised if Alioski had been under instruction from Bielsa to wind Pepe up.
He said: "The guy obviously knows everything about him because you can tell.
"Bielsa will have given Alioski everything single thing about that guy, and then probably you throw into the mix his state of mind right now.
"Then that happens, Alioski does exactly what he does and then Pepe plays poorly, he gets sent off.
"Mikel probably gave him a rocket at half-time and then he comes then he comes out and he does that."
The incident prompted an angry reaction from Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney post-match as he confronted Alioski.
Wright defended the Gunners full-back's actions and accused Alioski of diving to get Pepe sent off.
He said: "Kieran Tierney in the way he reacted at the end of that game, he’s a future captain for our club.
"Yes we know what Pepe did was silly and he will very much regret that but Tierney could not deal with the fact that a professional done that to another professional player, dived.
"Seeing somebody else talking to him, that really riled Kieran Tierney up, he’s not having that.
"You look at Tierney, it’s the attitude and the mentality that Arsenal need right now, not enough around him maybe, in his eyes, have got that.
"That’s why he went and approached Alioski to say to him you’re out of order."
