Referee Mike Dean (left) sends Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue (second left) off with a red card, as Arsenal's captain Kolo Toure (right) and Tottenham Hotspur's captain Robbie Keane look on during their English Premier League soccer match at White Hart Lane, London, yesterday. - AP
LONDON (AP):
Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Eboue pledged to control his temper in the future, after being sent off in yesterday's 0-0 draw at Tottenham.
Eboue apologised for kicking out in retaliation at Luka Modric in the 37th minute and earning his second yellow card. However, the Ivory Coast player felt he had not deserved his first booking from referee Mike Dean.
"For me, the referee was not good today," he said. "I know I have to control myself but I did not want to let Tottenham win. I just wanted to give my best."
Eboue said he retaliated in response to a challenge by Modric, which also earned the Croatia playmaker a yellow card.
"I put my leg up because (Modric) had touched me before in front of the referee and he did not say anything," Eboue said. "He kicked me when I tried to go forward and I put my leg up. The second card is normal, I accept it."
He was much less happy about his first yellow card, which was given for dissent.
"I did not say anything bad," Eboue said. "I was in front of the ball and I was talking with (goalkeeper Manuel) Almunia (following a foul). After that I said (to the referee) 'you have to whistle before' and he said 'OK'.