Liverpool star Fabinho accused of "cheating" by Wenger in Inter Milan defeat

Liverpool scraped through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League despite losing 1-0 at home to Inter Milan, as they went through 2-1 on aggregate.

Jurgen Klopp's side arrived at Anfield with a healthy 2-0 lead, but that was halved on the hour mark as Lautaro Martinez scored a wondergoal to put Inter back in the tie.

But moments later former Arsenal and Manchester United star Alexis Sanchez was sent off for a second bookable offence, throwing all the momentum they had gathered and Liverpool saw out the game against ten men.

Although Sanchez' first yellow card was a no-brainer, there was controversy surrounding his second offence, and Arsene Wenger has accuses Fabinho of "cheating".

Sanchez was one of Wenger's star men at Arsenal towards the end of his career in management, and sided with the Chilean after he was sent off at Anfield on Tuesday night.

Wenger instead pointed the finger at Fabinho, as told beIN Sports: "He rode the line between cheating and being clever. Fabinho on this foul he was on the other side, he was cheating, he made more of it.

"Maybe he had pain and he was touched by Sanchez. You cannot say it was completely fake. But maybe he could have got up quicker.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Alexis Sanchez have been sent off against Liverpool? Comment below.

"It’s one of these fouls…when it’s one of your players, you say it’s clever. When you are completely neutral like we are supposed to be, you would say he could have made less of it, but he touched him well, you cannot say he faked it.

"But he didn’t want to hurt him, he played first the ball."

Sanchez' earlier challenge also rode the line between yellow and red, with some suggesting that he was lucky to be on the field anyway, but his second tackle is certainly softer than the first, as the Chilean made contact with the ball.

Rio Ferdinand also agreed with Wenger's views, as he said on BT Sport: "I think he’s won the ball. You’re telling me he shouldn’t go to win that ball?" Ferdinand asked.

"It’s stupid that he’s given the ref an opportunity to make a decision. But I still think it’s harsh to give a yellow card. It’s a foul in today’s game, but I think it’s harsh to give a yellow card."

As Inter Milan are now out of the competition Sanchez' suspension is meaningless, but Inter may have fought back to level the tie if they had all 11 players still on the pitch.

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