Arsene Wenger has claimed Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas is the subject of a witch hunt.

According to Everton manager David Moyes, the Spanish midfielder made unrepeatable comments to match officials as the players went down the tunnel at half-time of their Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

Moyes said the midfielder should have been sent off for the alleged comments, when Arsenal trailed to a goal which both managers agreed should not have been given due to offside.

The Football Association have confirmed referee Lee Mason did not include the incident in his report.

Fabregas, 23, is no stranger to controversy, having been accused of spitting at Hull assistant Brian Horton at the end of their stormy FA Cup quarter-final in March 2009 - of which he was subsequently cleared by the FA.

The Spaniard also used his programme notes for the Everton match to clear up a Twitter row with Huddersfield's Anthony Pilkington over the swapping of shirts after their FA Cup fourth-round win on Sunday.

Wenger is in no doubt his captain is being singled out.

Asked if he thought there was a witch hunt against Fabregas, the Arsenal manager replied: "Yes.

"We are long enough in the job to know that somebody picks on you for a while, and you are in the heat of the moment.

"But for me what is the most important thing is the player behaves well.

"When Cesc is on the pitch, he tries to play football - I cannot say everybody who plays against him tries to do that.

"For example, some people reproach him for not exchanging shirts with a player after the game - but I hope he will not exchange shirts with players who try to kick him for 90 minutes and them come to say 'please can I get your shirt'.

"I think that is a normal and natural reaction.

"Overall this guy is an example on the football pitch and shows you how to play football."