Premiership: Whelan could face FA rap after claiming ref was drunk

Middlesbrough's Noel Whelan risks an FA charge with his reaction to referee Andy D'Urso's decision to allow a Robert Pires goal at Highbury.

Whelan said: "It is a massive mistake by the ref. It looks like the game was too big for him and he's cost us with that decision."

Pires' equaliser came when Thierry Henry appeared to barge Paul Ince out of the way so that his team-mate could strike a stunning 25-yard volley.

Whelan had given Boro a shock 22nd-minute lead, cashing in on a blunder by Sol Campbell.

Regarding Pires' equaliser, Steve McClaren said: "I've seen the incident on TV quite a few times and it is clear that 40,000 people, including both sets of players and both benches all stopped and expected a foul to be given.

"We were very disappointed that Pires was allowed to continue and volley it in. You could see the reaction of our players.

"I felt the ref made a few strange decisions all the way through but that one turned the game and it's very disappointing to be turned over by something as blatant as that."

Arsene Wenger said: "I don't know if this one was a foul or not. That is a decision for the referee and I don't comment about referees' performances.''