The Blues skipper was dismissed for a professional foul on Arsenal striker Freddie Ljungberg just twenty-four minutes into the game at Highbury on Sunday afternoon. "The sending off changed everything. We know the rule. By the letter of the law, Cunningham had to go. But that's the letter of the law, the instructions, the directives given to referees who are worried about the assessors watching them. "There's no room for common-sense. There's more room for that in Champions League matches where referees are not under such pressure from above. "There are too many red cards and all these petulant rules are spoiling games as a spectacle. Fans want to see 11 v 11 not 11 v 10. "Maik Taylor was unbelievable. That was probably his best-ever game. Then he gets beaten by a deflection and a bobble that took the ball over him. When he sees the goal tonight, he'll think: 'Oh my gosh'.
Blues' ten-men bravely held out until substitute Robin van Persies deflected effort finally beat man-of-the match Maik Taylor in the Blues goal nine minutes from time.
"When it was 11 against 11, we gave as good as we got. We had a go at them and had a couple of chances.