Arsene Wenger wants to make sure his team have learned the lesson from their last visit to Manchester. Arsenal’s only away defeat in the Premier League came in a tepid performance at Old Trafford, and Wenger has urged his team to go to the Etihad, where they face Manchester City today, with more attacking intent.
“The only blip we had was at Manchester United and people forget that United had two shots on target on the day and they scored a goal off a shoulder from a corner,” he recalled. “But I believe we were not completely ourselves offensively and that’s what we want to do better in this game, to be dangerous offensively.”
Wenger and his players have watched a recording of the United defeat again. “In the first half it was like: ‘Where are they?’ But that’s what we can learn from the Man United game. It took us one half to be completely ourselves. I think we have learned from that and we will go into the (City) game on full cylinders.”
He was encouraged by the way Arsenal regrouped immediately after swallowing a loss, and set off another undefeated stretch. That came to a halt at Napoli in the Champions League this week. “Learn from it and then grow again,” he said. “It’s what we want to show at City. We learn from it and we go again.”
Wenger is hopeful his team can make a powerful statement. Even if fatigue is a concern, his mission is to win away at the club with the most intimidating home record in England this season.
“I don’t see why you should be scared,” said Wenger, who noted that Arsenal have the incentive of being able to open up an eight-point gap. “Let’s not forget as well that if you are in City’s position and they lose, then they are nine points behind, so they have more negative pressure than we have. We have a positive pressure that we can make a big difference with them.
"Last season when we went to Newcastle on the last day, and if we don't win it will be a disaster," he added. "Today we are in a position where we can look much more at the game in a positive way. There were clouds over the team with the possible elimination in Naples. We can focus completely on the championship now."
Guardian Service
