Gunners fans were appalled as Welbeck's shameful dive overshadows Arsenal win and embarrasses English football

Danny Welbeck went down easily under the a challenge from Ricardo Rodriguez [Photo: Courtesy]

It was a shameful moment which overshadowed a huge result against one of Europe’s top clubs.

Let’s not even try to excuse it or dress it up as anything else, the game will be remembered for Danny Welbeck’s blatant dive to win a penalty.

It was a moment that should embarrass English football and maybe even shame a few others to stop diving once they see the reaction as even Arsenal fans were left appalled.

And, ultimately, it was the moment that decided the whole tie because Welbeck dived just at a time when AC Milan were threatening to stage a fightback.

Welbeck stepped up to stroke the penalty home [Photo: Courtesy]

Up stepped Welbeck, stroked the ball home into the bottom corner and yet it was a goal which did not deserve to be celebrated and it left AC Milan enraged.

Milan boss Gennaro Gattuso lost his head, his players lost all their hope and it effectively killed the game as an even contest.

We always talk about the dark arts, the ugly side of football and how foreign stars have brought it to the Premier League and yet here was an England forward getting pelters for doing it - and rightly so.

Welbeck headed his second later [Photo: Courtesy]

Embarrassingly, Arsene Wenger dusted down his old familiar line that he “did not see it” but you can bet that he would have if it had been against Arsenal.

The problem is that it will take the gloss of Arsenal’s win and, even though they are into the quarter finals, former players, pundits and TV experts were queuing up to condemn it.

Gary Lineker called it a “blatant dive”, Jermaine Jens called it “cheating” and Alan Shearer insisted the referee was “conned.”

Hakan Calhanoglu gave AC Milan the lead [Photo: Courtesy]

Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson certainly was but he was also left hung out to try by the extra official on the touchline, Stefan Johannesson, who was just a few yards away but still saw something that no amount of TV replays failed to show.

Welbeck ran into the box, chased the ball and then took a clumsy tumble - even messing up his feeble attempts at a dive - as Milan defender Ricardo Rodriguez ran across him.

Eriksson initially gave nothing, Welbeck appealed and, incredibly, the referee then pointed to the spot after consulting Johannesson. It was truly a bad moment for English football.

It was the key moment of the tie because it came two minutes after Milan had scored, it was the turning point and stopped any thoughts of a comeback.

Overall, Arsenal did deserve it because the foundations were laid for victory in the first leg in the San Siro and it gave them enough of a cushion to get the job done.

Milan’s Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu capitalised on Arsenal’s nerves as the Italians went ahead on the night after 36 minutes. Out of nowhere Calhanoglu smashed a stunning 25 yard shot into the far corner past keeper David Ospina’s despairing dive.

That really got the nerves jangling but Welbeck’s theatricals not only lifted Arsenal but it also left Milan in disarray as their players lost their way. Their chance was gone.

It got even worse for Milan after 71 minutes when Granit Xhaka, chancing his arm with a long range effort, hit a long range shot from the edge of the box.

It should have been straightforward for Gianluigi Donnarumma and yet the Milan keeper spilled the ball and it sprung up and trickled into the net.

Donnarumma has been tipped as a potential successor to Gianluigi Buffon as Italy’s next No1 but on this evidence they better try and persuade the Juventus legend not to give up just yet.

Arsenal got a third after 86 minutes when Jack Wilshere found Aaron Ramsey, his point-blank header was saved but Welbeck nodded home the rebound for his second goal and this time there could be no complaints.

It puts Arsenal into the quarter final draw, Wenger’s crisis has lifted and the mood has changed as suddenly the Europa League is offering salvation for their season.

They will face an anxious wait to discover their opponents on Friday but suddenly the task in front of them does not look quite so daunting.