Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he thought Leif Davis’s challenge on Bukayo Saka which earned the Ipswich Town full-back a red card was ‘not intentional’ but felt ‘it was dangerous’.

The second-placed Gunners had been 2-0 up via Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli goals before Davis caught the England international high from behind in the 32nd minute to leave the Blues with a mountain to climb. 

But it was not until the 69th minute that the deficit increased with Trossard converting his second before substitute Ethan Nwaneri’s deflected strike wrapped things up two minutes from time.

Asked how bad he felt the tackle on Saka was, with the home crowd having shown their feelings at what they felt was an unjust punishment off the back of the England international appearing to leap up in the air off the back of it, he said: “The referee has made a decision, that it’s clear. He was a bit sore but nothing serious so it’s good.”

Asked if he thought it had been a lucky escape for Saka to not be left with a nasty injury from it, having only recently returned from a long-term hamstring tear, he replied: “I haven't seen the slow-motion, I've just seen the normal pace image and he cuts him from the back.

“I don't think it's intentional at all but obviously it's dangerous because he cannot really react to anything because you cannot see him coming.”

He added: “It's the moment when the foot is planted your weight is there and you cannot really react to it, but he's fine.”

Arteta saw his side reach the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday with a 2-1 win at Real Madrid to seal a 5-1 aggregate victory but described their opening 35 minutes at Portman Road as their best of the campaign. 

“We are really happy, really happy with the performance,” he said of a game that ensured Liverpool will have to wait to be crowned Premier League champions.

“I think the first 35 minutes is one of the best 35 minutes we've played this season, off the back of the game in Madrid.

“We scored two goals, we could have scored three or four to be fair, we really dominated the game.

“(It was) very high intensity and understanding what we had to do today to win here. And obviously after they got the red card the context of the game changed and we were in control, scoring another two goals. We made certain rotations, so overall a very positive afternoon.”

It was put to him that there was potential for a dip off the back of their exertions in Madrid but the intensity of the performance from the start ensured that did not happen. 

“That's what we discussed before the match and that's the way they described it and to be more intense than them,” he said. 

“And actually, what does that mean? It's just to be very intense, focus your level of attention to understand one, two, three seconds before what's going to happen and then act. And I think the team was very much at it from the beginning.”

Arsenal are back in action on Wednesday at home to Crystal Palace while Town, who are 15 points from safety now with five games to go with a far inferior goal difference, look likely to have their relegation confirmed at Newcastle on Saturday. McKenna’s side would require a win and a defeat for West Ham United to avoid that happening. 

Photo: TWTD

armchaircritic59 added 19:07 - Apr 20 Spot on summing up by MA. Really nasty, totally unnecessary " tackle " by Davis, especially given where it was on the pitch and the fact that Saka was going nowhere. Town fans have been magnificent this season, especially away from home. but those who kept booing Saka, will I hope feel very stupid when they see the incident close up on TV.
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Leejames99 added 19:13 - Apr 20 Was a disgusting tackle on one of the countries top players that could of seriously injured him and prevented him playing in Champions league etc by a league 1 challenge player who knew cameras on him and he had just given 2 goals away. Needs a fresh start Davis in a league where he comfortable like a Derby or Plymouth, ruined his legacy this season thinking he Mck golden boy so untouchable to criticism, they all do from promotion team, all come out chewing gum like they elite superstars. He needs new club with the rest and take announcer too 'His Blue Army' right before kick off is ridiculous

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DifferentGravy added 19:20 - Apr 20 Deserved red and not condoning the challenge. But I take anything Arteta says with.....well, he talks rollocks Arsenal players have been throwing themselves to the floor throughout the entire season. Martinelli and Odegaard especially guilty. Another are Bha. Pedro and, by far the biggest cheat in the league, Veltman. When I pointed this out to a Bha colleague they stated that Ipswich hadnt adapted to the dark arts of the premiership. What a sad state of affairs.......and the utterly useless VAR do nothing retrospectively to discourage the cheats.

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Buryblue78 added 19:31 - Apr 20 All fair enough as far as I’m concerned Very poor challenge but I would put it in the definite yellow and possibly red but only in the modern game where cheating is fine It wasn’t high but definitely dangerous Leif has been found wanting defensively this season but he’s not alone The gap from Arsenal to Accrington who we played not so long ago is truly enormous Arsenal were fantastic it was a hard watch as we were totally outplayed to be fair I just hope that we are a lot more Burnley than Luton as a club but that’s largely down to those behind the scenes A difficult day but Kieran’s man management skills will be tested at this time

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Tractorboy1985 added 19:57 - Apr 20 It’s a very poor challenge by sadly a player we all thought would take Premier League football, unfortunately Leif has been found out defensively this season but I’m not having “horror” challenge or “over the top” as the biased budgie b*****d Sutton stated!! How is he even allowed to co-commentate on our games?? Another dig in the ribs to us this season! If it was Ben White making that challenge against Jack Clarke it would have been a yellow… The Journey has been a pleasure and something I’ll never forget and hold fond memories.. however the destination is a corrupt, boring and sad end! We haven’t been good enough, and that hurts a lot to say that but we have had some terrible decisions/injuries go against us this season! We go again…. COYB

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warwickblue added 09:57 - Apr 21 Poor challenge, which I instantly expected Davis to see a red card for. The subsequent applauding of Davis and booing of Saka was embarrassing. Our fans, particularly at away games, have been praised and applauded up and down the country by other supporters this season. This was not our finest moment. It merely added another layer of frustration to what, for me, was the least enjoyable performance I've seen at PR this season.

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blues1 added 11:37 - Apr 21 Those of u criticising the booing. Think you'll definitely thst was more to do with the way Saka threw himself up in the air trying to influence tgecreferees decision than fans thinking thecred card was wrong. The action of flying up in the air happens if a player swings his leg at you and swipes ur feet from under you. Not from this kind of foul. But not a good,challenge at all and a,def red card. Agree that it's embarrassing and wrong for fans to applaud a player for getting sent off. Ridiculous.

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d77sgw added 11:44 - Apr 22 Can't argue with the red, even if I think some would have seen it as a yellow, but I think the crowd's reaction was also because the ref had missed a blatant Arsenal yellow when we (Cajuste?) were breaking, a few minutes earlier. It had felt that he was giving them everything until that point.
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