Arsene Wenger defends injured Theo Walcott for his 'non-offensive' gesture

Theo Walcott’s gesture towards Tottenham fans

Arsenal‘s Theo Walcott, who has recently been ruled out for the next 6 months with a ruptured knee ligament has been defended by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for his ‘non-offensive’ gesture towards Tottenham fans while being carried off the field on a stretcher in Arsenal’s 2-0 FA Cup win over Tottenham.

The English forward was stretchered off with a knee injury minutes before the end of the match, and it appeared that the away fans pelted missiles on the Englishman, only before or after his gesture remains unclear.

Wenger had no doubts about the incident and said: “The doctors said to me that the coins had been raining over his (Walcott’s) head and they had to protect him, maybe that is why he did that [gesture].

“Yes (the coins came before the gesture) that is what I have been told. After that, what he did is not offensive. You look for every single incident, I can understand that, but it is an action that didn’t offend anybody.

“I have seen the pictures after the game and it does not even look aggressive, he is smiling.”

Tottenham boss and self professed Arsenal fan Tim Sherwood said he was unaware of the sequence of events but played down the situation.

“Someone just mentioned it to me in there. I didn’t see it. Is that what he did? Well, listen I don’t know Theo, I don’t know him as a lad. It could have been a bit of banter, possibly.

“If they (Tottenham fans) did [throw things] then it’s a problem, isn’t it? If they didn’t then it’s not a problem.”

The Football Association will wait until receiving the match report of referee Mark Clattenburg before deciding whether the incident warrants investigation.