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Jack Wilshere will learn on Monday if he is to be charged by the Football Association for improper conduct after he raised a finger to Manchester City fans during Arsenal's 6-3 defeat.
Wilshere, who had a frustrating afternoon, made the gesture in the 67th minute and, if charged and found guilty, may face a one-match ban. Martin Atkinson, the referee, was expected to file his match report on Sunday. Even if the official does not to mention the incident in the document, the FA can still bring a charge against Wilshere.
In December 2011, Luis Suárez received a one-game ban after the Liverpool forward showed the middle finger to Fulham fans, so there would be surprise if the Arsenal midfielder was to escape action.
Mesut Özil has apologised for failing to acknowledge the travelling Arsenal support after Saturday's game. The German playmaker headed straight for the dressing room following the final whistle, incurring the wrath of Per Mertesacker who remonstrated with his compatriot as he left the field.
In a statement on his website, the 25-year-old Özil said: "Sorry I didn't thank the fans at the end of the game! You have been brilliant to me and I know you had travelled a long way and spent your money to support us. I was upset with the result and know I should have come to you to say 'thank you' and I know it is a big Arsenal tradition win, lose or draw."
The defeat cut the leaders' advantage over Chelsea to two points, and one more over City. Arsenal host José Mourinho's team next Monday as Arsène Wenger's men enter a telling phase of their title challenge. Arsenal scored three goals against City but were outplayed and have lost at both Manchester clubs following the 1-0 defeat to United last month.
Wenger believes his players will bounce back. "Honestly, if we cannot pick ourselves up by being top of the league, what will happen when we are not top of the league?" he said. "Let's not go overboard, it's a massive disappointment because we have lost a big game. What is important now is how we respond to that."
The manager claimed that Arsenal might actually have scored eight against a City side who toyed with his side though he did concede the manner of the defeat was a worry. "It's a concern because we had a very strong defensive record," he said. "But honestly we could have scored six or eight as well. Both teams for me were very poor defensively but they were much more efficient and we made too many mistakes. We had not our usual defensive solidarity and we put ourselves in a position where we had to chase the game with tired legs."
Wenger believes the loss will not have any impact on Arsenal's challenge. "It's too much to take it on the disappointment front but will it influence the championship? No, because we play with [these] two teams at home and we have an opportunity then to put things right," he said.
Wenger could be without Laurent Koscielny for a spell after he was carried off on a stretcher with a deep laceration to his knee.
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