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Football London
Football London
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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Wilfried Zaha sends Instagram message to Arsenal legend Ian Wright over VAR claim

The fallout from Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace has been mainly centered around Unai Emery's future, Granit Xhaka's gesture to the supporters and a controversial VAR call.

But one incident in which Eagles star Wilfried Zaha feels hasn't been discussed enough in his role in winning a penalty from which Luka Milivojevic scored to reduce the deficit before half-time.

However, if not for VAR, Calum Chambers' foul on the Ivory Coast international would have gone unpunished as the official Martin Atkinson initially waved away the penalty claim - much to Zaha's disbelief at the time.

Before VAR intervened Zaha had been booked for what the referee felt was a dive and Wright couldn't believe how quick the Palace winger was shown a yellow card.

"What I did like about it was when it was used for Crystal Palace’s penalty," Wright said on Match of the Day 2. "The swiftness in which Martin Atkinson wanted to booked Wilfried Zaha for a foul that I cannot understand that he didn’t see was where VAR worked there.

"What it showed me was how quickly he wanted to book him for being fouled."

Zaha, who has often been accused of going to ground too easily, caught wind of Wright's comments and sent a message to the Arsenal legend on social media.

"Thank you @wrightofficial," he wrote on one of his Instagram stories.

"Let's talk about that please."

Zaha did end up having that yellow card rescinded and in the final minute of injury time could very well have helped Palace secure back-to-back 3-2 wins at the Emirates Stadium in successive seasons.

But Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi had other ideas as he rugby tackled Zaha to halt his progress.

Something which the Frenchman insists had to be done.

"I had to foul Zaha at the end, otherwise he is through on goal on his own," he told www.arsenal.com.

"I'm the last defender but I’m far from our goal as well. I had to do it."

Week 10 Premier League round-up
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