Arsenal in the clear

Bust-up: Robert Pires was at the centre of the row

Arsenal and Aston Villa look set to avoid Football Association punishment after a half-time row in the tunnel at Highbury last night.

There were angry verbal exchanges and finger-pointing between Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry of Arsenal and Villa’s Olof Mellberg and members of his club’s coaching staff — all witnessed by police and fourth official Lee Cable.

But after observations on the incident were given to referee Mike Dean, he confirmed he would make no mention of it in his report as Arsenal went top of the Premiership with a 2-0 win.

That will be a relief to Arsenal who have already found themselves in disciplinary trouble this season.

The incident was sparked by a Mellberg challenge on Pires. The Frenchman was clearly incensed as the Villa defender gestured he should be cautioned for diving. Pires believed the Swede had used his elbow. At half-time other Arsenal players and members of the Villa bench became involved and Pires was accused of being a cheat.

Afterwards, Mellberg claimed he was innocent. “I didn’t use my elbow, not at all,” he said. “There was a lot of talking to me. It was frustrating for a while and I did get irritated.”

Pires said: “I was upset at the time but now it is all forgotten.

“It is more important that we won than anything else. It was a tremendous performance at Middlesbrough on Sunday but it was not the same against Villa. But sometimes it is necessary just to win.”

It is not the first time that Pires has clashed with a team managed by David O’Leary.

When the former Arsenal central defender was in charge at Leeds, Pires was incensed when O’Leary blew kisses at him during a match at Elland Road and the pair confronted each other in the foyer near the dressing rooms.

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