Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says the referee - not Thierry Henry - is to blame for his former captain's hand-ball controversy. The Barcelona star set up the extra-time chance that sent France through 2-1 on aggregate and denied the furious Irish a place in the World Cup finals.

When asked on French television after the match if Henry should have confessed to the foul at the time Wenger, who was his team manager for eight years, said: "Well, one should but one doesn't, we know, with the pressure and what's at stake."

A clearly uncomfortable Wenger continued: "I am not content because France shouldn't gain qualification with these things. All the stadium has seen the handball, but the referee hasn't. This isn't the French way and football should learn from this.

"I have spoken to Titi [Henry] after the game and he knows it was not correct but it is up to the referee also to stop the play.

"We qualified because of a referee's mistake, the strength of a wrist and also the clumsiness of the Irish in front of their goal. We would have preferred to qualify in a different manner."