ARSENAL supporters were enraged at referee Michael Oliver’s decision not to dismiss Mateo Kovacic.

In the 29th minute, the Manchester City midfielder was booked for a reckless tackle on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, whose right Achilles felt the full weight of his hazardous challenge.

Fans requested a red card, but the video assistant referee refused to comply with their request that the Croatia international take an early bath.

Five minutes later, the former Chelsea man took out Declan Rice with another poorly-timed challenge, leaving them fuming.

Oliver did not consider the tackle to be deserving of a second booking, forcing a swarm of irate Arsenal fans to go to X (previously Twitter) to vent their rage.

One wrote: “Kovacic is still on the ground somehow.”

Another said: “Nah, they want us to lose so much. What is this cheating?”

And another said: “Leave the pitch, the game is rigged

One remarked: “Someone please tell me how that Kovacic was a yellow and not a straight red like Curtis Jones’ last week????

“This ref’s are corrupt.”

The Emirates faithful’s fury was echoed by Arsenal super-fan and Sun columnist Piers Morgan.

He asked: “How the hell is Kovacic still on the pitch?

“Two horrendous fouls in 5 minutes. Abysmal refereeing.”

Back-to-back fouls by Kovacic sparked debate in the Sky Sports studio, with former City defender Micah Richards admitting the Croat should have been sent off.

He said: “I believe Kovačić should have seen red. The Rice challenge is definitely a second yellow.”

Former Gunners hitman Theo Walcott said: “As soon as it went to VAR, I thought red card.

“It’s a nasty challenge. For me, it’s a red. It’s genuinely endangering the player.”

Arsenal ended up winning the game thanks to Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal, their first win over City in the Premier League for eight years.