Liam Rosenior has criticised Arsenal for a lack of “respect” when their pre-match warm-up encroached into Chelsea’s half before Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.
TV cameras showed Rosenior was visibly angry at Arsenal and telling them to get back in their own half of the pitch as the two teams warmed up at Emirates Stadium.
Cameras picked up Rosenior shouting: "Stay in your half. Stay in your f***ing half. F***ing stay there."
Kai Havertz went on to score the only goal as Arsenal won 1-0 to reach the final 4-2 on aggregate.
Rosenior was asked on Thursday about his reaction to that warm-up incident.
“It wasn’t the players,” Rosenior clarified. “I’m respectful. When you warm up, you have your half and the other team have their half.
“I’ve never asked my team or my coaches to encroach on the opposition’s territory. In that moment, I didn’t think it was right where they were operating. They were affecting my lads’ warm-up and my staff’s warm-up.
“I asked them - maybe not politely - to stay in their half. I’m not here to have mind games. It’s just what I think is right and respectful, and hopefully we respect that and other teams do too.”
Rosenior continued: “There are certain etiquettes in football. I always try and be as respectful as possible. I always want to win.
“I don’t have an issue with anyone at Arsenal Football Club. Their fantastic manager, Mikel [Arteta], is someone I have so much respect for. It was just, in that moment I didn’t think that respect was shown to my team.”
