Brighton boss Hürzeler slams Arsenal tactics, wants 'clear rules' - ESPN

BRIGHTON, England — Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler has launched a scathing attack on Arsenal's time-wasting tactics by calling on the Premier League to intervene as the Gunners «play by their own rules.»

Bukayo Saka's deflected ninth-minute strike was enough to earn a 1-0 win at American Express Stadium and move Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The game was an ill-tempered affair with Hürzeler and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta exchanging words on the sideline as Brighton grew increasingly irate at what they perceived as repeated attempts to slow the game down in both halves.

Hürzeler had suggested before the game that the Gunners were «creative» in how long they took to restart the game from corners but went much further afterwards as his frustration reached new levels.

The 33-year-old even suggested referee Chris Kavanagh told him at halftime on Wednesday that he was unable to sufficiently punish Arsenal for their time-wasting.

«There's different kinds of winning,» he said. «If they win the Premier League, no one will ask how they win the Premier League.

»You can really feel that they do everything to win this game. In the end it is about the rules. If the Premier league, if the referee allows everything, then it is difficult.

«They make their own rules. At the moment, I have the feeling they are doing their own rules, no matter how they are playing. That's why I think it is difficult to judge that.

»Do you want to send off the goalkeeper for two yellow cards for wasting time? This will never happen. So what should he do? That's the thing and that's why you need rules, limits.

«That's also what he [Kavanagh] admits to me at halftime. We just talked about how can he reduce the time