Steve Clarke questioned referee Mike Jones’ two penalty decisions which helped Arsenal beat the Baggies 2-0 at The Emirates.
Mikel Arteta scored from the spot twice after Jones awarded two questionable penalties to the Gunners.
Santi Cazola’s dive over Steven Reid’s foot in the first half wasn’t picked up by Jones who wrongly awarded Arsene Wenger’s men their first spot kick of the afternoon.
Jones then missed a blatant push on Goran Popov in the move which saw Arsenal awarded a second penalty of the afternoon.
Clarke insists the two decisions changed the game in Arsenal’s favour after a solid start from the Baggies.
“There was zero contact on the first penalty decision,” said the Scot.
“I’m not sure what the referee saw.
“I think there is a culture in the game now that if there is contact players will go down easier than they did a number of years ago - and they go down to draw the referee's attention to the fact there was a slight contact.
“In that one there was no contact.
“Cazorla might have felt there was contact coming – but Steven pulled out.
“There was no contact and from where the referee was he should be able to see.
“It was a bad decision for us and it changed the shape of the afternoon.
“It could have been a nervous afternoon for Arsenal.
“At 0-0 they hadn’t created too much.
“I was comfortable with the way the team was defending and playing at that time.
“We had to do more with the ball, we hadn’t done enough with the ball up until then.
“We knew the longer the game went, the more pressure would come on Arsenal and then we would have a chance to play.
“I think that decision changed it.”
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