Gallas tackle was assault!

FLASHPOINT ... Bolton were furious with Gallas' challenge on Mark Davies

OWEN COYLE accused William Gallas of "assault" as Arsenal stormed to the top of the table.

Bolton boss Coyle claimed Gallas should have seen red for a lunge on Mark Davies.

Ref Alan Wiley failed to spot the foul and Cesc Fabregas made it 2-2 with Davies in agony on the floor.

Angry Coyle said: "It was akin to assault. It was a terrible challenge and I have seen red cards given for less than that.

"Arsenal's second goal was the big turning point.

"I could accept it if Gallas had got a bit of the ball but he's touched absolutely none of it.

"Mark Davies was clearly in agony. The lad is prostrate on the ground but Arsenal, being full of fair play as we keep hearing, carried on playing and scored on the break.

"He's gone for a scan and it looks like severe ligament damage."

Coyle confronted referee Wiley at the final whistle as the Gunners celebrated a remarkable comeback having been 2-0 behind.

He said: "The ref told me he didn't see it. I was 40 yards away and I saw it. He was five or 10 yards away and he didn't.

"The linesmen said they didn't see it either."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted Gallas had committed a foul but defended his team against Coyle's charges of bad sportsmanship.

Wenger said: "I'm sorry if the tackle was not good. But it's unfair Coyle has complained we played on.

"The referee was in a strong position and the players went on because they didn't even know what was happening behind them, whether the Bolton player was down or had got up again.

"I don't believe you can kick the ball out every time a player goes down when you win the ball.

"Remember our game against Everton when Denilson went down injured. I said then they shouldn't have kicked the ball out and that was a much more obvious situation.

"We also got some big tackles over the two games against Bolton and we had to cope with it."

Arsenal were 11 points behind Chelsea when they lost 3-0 to the Blues at the end of November.

But the Gunners are now ahead of them on goals scored after last night's fightback.

Wenger added: "Our mental and physical strengths have been deeply tested and we have proved we can mix it.

"We can now have a real go for the title."

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