Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit out at critics who think his current touchline ban is too lenient, saying some would not even be satisfied if they "put me in jail somewhere without anything in the middle of winter."
The Frenchman was given a four-game touchline ban for "verbally abusing and pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor after being sent off" during Arsenal's 2-1 win against Burnley on Jan. 22—he was also fined £25,000—per BBC Sport.
He watched from the stands as his side thrashed Southampton 5-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday and said afterwards that he had accepted his punishment in an attempt to put the issue in the past, per PA Sport (via ESPN FC):
Those who don't like me, any sentence will be too lenient. They would like to put me in jail somewhere without anything in the middle of winter—and that will still be lenient. My reaction [to the ban] is what I said after the game. Let's not bring this situation back again. I do not want to judge what the judge says. I got a sentence and I decided not to appeal just to get this behind me. There is no need for me to come back on that.
Per David Hytner in the Guardian, Wenger, 67, could have been handed a stadium ban given the seriousness of his offence.
He was sent off for his angry reaction to referee Jon Moss awarding Burnley a stoppage-time penalty and exacerbated the issue by pushing Taylor as the official tried to move him away from the tunnel.
Per the Times' Oliver Kay, Wenger apologised immediately after the match, which could have gone some way to diminishing his punishment:
However, per the Guardian's Ben Fisher, former Premier League referee Graham Poll insisted Wenger had "got off lightly."
The Gunners manager will be banned from the touchline for further matches against Watford, Chelsea and Hull City.
His absence from the dugout seemed to have little effect on his players against Saints as they produced a brilliant display to hammer Claude Puel's side on their own ground.
Theo Walcott netted a hat-trick, with Danny Welbeck scoring twice in his first start of the season following a long-term injury.