Jose Gimenez claimed a refereeing mistake proved to be the turning point in Arsenal’s 4-0 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

A second half onslaught saw the Gunners strike four times in the space of 14 blistering minutes, as Mikel Arteta’s team romped to a win that cemented their place in the automatic Champions League qualifying spots.

Arsenal were forced to bide their time and wait for a breakthrough against Diego Simeone’s canny outfit who had started the second period in the ascendancy and were close to taking the lead when Julian Alvarez’s long-range strike rattled the crossbar.

It was shortly after that reprieve that the home team opened the scoring when Gabriel Magalhaes powered home Declan Rice’s perfectly flighted in-swinging set-piece.

Gimenez, however, argued that referee David Massa should never have awarded Arsenal a free kick in the first place when Gabriel Martinelli tumbled under what the defender argued was minimal pressure.

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