Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed the assistant referee blocked his view of Cesc Fabregas’ tackle that left Wolves left-back Stephen Ward with a gashed leg.

But the Gunners boss still apologised to Molineux counterpart Mick McCarthy for the late challenge, which left the left-back stretchered off and needing stitches in a gashed shin.

Wenger said: “I didn’t see the tackle but I apologised to Mick McCarthy if the player is injured because I didn’t know exactly what had happened as the linesman was in my view.

“It was an accidental tackle – that’s what Cesc told me. He touched him but he wanted to play the ball.

“He went to the dressing room and apologised to the player and everything’s alright. Ward has a little cut but they’re hoping he will be OK for Saturday.

“Fabregas said to me it was completely accidental but he still went to see the player to see how badly he was touched.

“It doesn’t mean – if you go to see how the player is – that you feel guilty.”

Wenger insisted the tackle wasn’t worthy of a red card.

He said: “If it was accidental and if he went for the ball, for a red card you need to commit a reckless challenge on purpose.”

The Gunners chief was highly impressed by McCarthy’s side.

Wenger said: “We had many chances but you have to give credit to Wolves – they are a good side and I was impressed by them.

“They’re good defensively, good at winning the ball back and they looked always dangerous. They have a good mixture between long balls and build-up and they will give problems to anyone in this league.

“Wolves were very physically committed and played a high-tempo game.”

McCarthy admitted his team were gallant losers once again, wasting numerous chances just four days after being cruelly denied a point against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

He said: “It was another case of playing well and getting nothing. We’ve just got to score when we play as well as that. If ever someone repaid the faith in them, it was Lukasz Fabianski.

“He was hopeless for the goal against Newcastle on Sunday and cost them the game and there was talk he might not play last night. But he was brilliant, so fair play to him.

“He made a fair few very good saves and we peppered their goal, so I think he was Man of the Match for them.

“That says a lot about the game. We were the better side for periods and had a lot of attempts at goal and chances from corners.

“We had chances with balls flashing across the area and had enough chances to score. But we didn’t score.

“It’s not just luck, it’s being profligate in front of goal as well.”

McCarthy admitted Marouane Chamakh’s first goal after 37 seconds was avoidable.

The Wolves boss said: “The first goal we conceded was dreadful in getting dislodged as easy as we did.

“We certainly didn’t plan for it and you can’t give anyone a goal start. It was like a training routine and the ball ended up in the back of the net, which was really disappointing. But the response was fantastic.

“I can give them the second goal because there was 30 or 40 seconds to go and we were chasing and trying to get men up the pitch to score ourselves.”