Deeney was handed a straight red card following a clash with Lucas Torreira on Monday night
22:54, 15 Apr 2019Updated 00:31, 16 Apr 2019
Watford boss Javi Gracia refused to condemn striker Troy Deeney after his red card against Arsenal.
Deeney was sent off inside the opening 13 minutes of the FA Cup finalists’ 1-0 defeat to the Gunners at Vicarage Road, after a collision with Lucas Torreira.
The Hornets hitman was dismissed by referee Craig Pawson, on the advice of his assistant, after appearing to catch Torreira with his elbow - just moments after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had given Arsenal the lead.
Deeney labelled the decision "a f****** embarrassment" as he made his way off the field.
The incident in question(Image: BPI/REX)
Speaking post-match, Gracia said of his skipper's dismissal: "I don’t agree but I respect the referee’s decision. It’s maybe a yellow card.
“He [Deeney] doesn’t have to explain to me anything. I could see the play. I could see the contact with his arm but never his elbow. I don’t understand that decision.
“I never saw an aggression in the movement. I don’t understand why the referee took that decision.”
Asked whether the Arsenal player - Torreira - went down too easily, Gracia refused to comment, stating: "I don’t speak about Arsenal players.”
Javi Gracia and Troy Deeney after the latter's dismissal(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal boss Unai Emery admitted he hadn't seen the incident, but says the most decisive early factor in the goal was not Deeney's dismissal, but rather the early goal from Aubameyang.
"I didn’t see the red card," said Emery. "I respect the decision from the referee. It’s clear it helped us with the decision.
“Playing with one less player is more difficult. But our goal gives us the advantage in the result."