Per Mertesacker red card: Should Arsenal defender have been sent off against Chelsea?

Controversial: Per Mertesacker is dismissed after this challenge on Costa
(Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Tom Dutton24 January 2016

Arsenal were reduced to 10 men in the opening 20 minutes of Sunday's London derby with Chelsea as they looked to return to the top of the Premier League.

Willian's through ball found Diego Costa and the Spain international's first touch took him beyond the Gunners defence before he was stopped in his tracks by Per Mertesacker.

The Germany international was immediately called over by referee Mark Clattenburg, who brandished a red card, and the Blues quickly capitalised on their numerical advantage as Costa scored the opener within five minutes.

But there were question marks over the decision surrounding whether there was enough contact to send Costa sprawling and if Laurent Koscielny would have got across to thwart Costa had the Chelsea striker not fallen to the deck.

Arsenal were knocked off Premier League top spot on Saturday as Leicester moved three points clear with victory and Manchester City shunted Arsene Wenger's men down to third with an away draw at West Ham.

Defeat will leave Arsenal three points off the pace, but should Mertesacker have been dismissed? Vote in our poll below.

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