'It was a foul' - Ramires admits impeding Coquelin in build-up to Chelsea's first goal against Arsenal

20 Jan 2013 17:05:00

The Brazil international took out the Arsenal midfielder just before Blues went ahead through Juan Mata, with the hosts eventually holding off a spirited Gunners fightback

Ramires has admitted he fouled Francis Coquelin in the build-up to Chelsea’s first goal in their 2-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazil international caught the Gunners midfielder before Cesar Azpilicueta set up Juan Mata’s fine early strike.

Chelsea fought off a vastly-improved Arsenal side after the break to hold out for the win, and afterwards Ramires admitted he committed the foul but was glad to see his side get all three points.

“Yeah, it was a foul,” he told Sky Sports.

“[But] the win has much importance for us. In the last three games we had one win, one loss and a draw so it was important for us to win today.”

Frank Lampard’s penalty followed Mata’s opener, and the Spain midfielder knows how vital it was for the Blues to see out the victory.

“Today was very important to us in two different ways,” he said. “

“The first one was to keep going and try to reduce the gap to Manchester United and Manchester City, also to play well for our supporters who were a bit nervous after recent games, so we’re happy to have done that today.

“It was important to score in the opening minutes and to play more relaxed once we were winning. In the first half we played really well, creating chances and scored two goals.

"In the second half we suffered a bit but Arsenal do have top players.”

The visitors rallied after the break and got back into the game through Theo Walcott, and Mata was glad Chelsea were able to show the character to hold on when they had surrendered a two-goal lead at home to Southampton only a few days earlier.

“We knew Arsenal would try to score in the second half and they got a beautiful goal from Walcott, and always when you play top sides they are trying hard to win or at least draw,” he added.

“It was very important for us to win today, in terms of our supporters, after a few home games in a row without winning here at Stamford Bridge.”