Wenger leaps to rival's defence

Ajax v Arsenal: Alex Ferguson received strong support from an unexpected source yesterday when Arsene Wenger described as "appalling" and "horrendous" Saturday's treatment of his Manchester United counterpart.

Wenger's dislike of Ferguson runs deep - earlier this year he said he would never "answer another question about this man" after the Scot criticised him over the "Pizzagate" incident at Old Trafford. But Wenger broke that policy to castigate the fans who turned on their manager at the home defeat by Blackburn Rovers.

"You know I am not his best friend but I find that really appalling," Wenger said. "Of course we are, like the players, only as good as our last game, but (after) what this guy has done for the club I find it horrendous and nearly unbelievable."

His defence of Ferguson marked at least a temporary thaw in a relationship which became so strained last season the Football Association asked both managers to calm down.

Wenger is nowhere near being jeered at Arsenal but the season has hardly begun as he or the fans would have liked. He arrived here without five first-team regulars for tonight's game against Ajax - Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie, Gilberto Silva and Jens Lehmann.

Wenger was characteristically upbeat but that was streaked with realism. With 11 points separating Arsenal from Chelsea, the manager acknowledged he was facing a "different" challenge from anything before, and did not hide from the damage caused by Henry's absence. At a time when the club are trying to convince Henry to extend his contract, Wenger made it clear how reliant they are on the striker.

"That's a little bit the danger with the situation we have with Thierry," he said. "He scores 25 goals every season. He's a world-class player and you miss him but as well there's a double effect because the players who come in for him are under immense pressure to be compared with him and I feel that it affects sometimes the performance of the younger players."

With van Persie suspended and Bergkamp injured, Jose Antonio Reyes is the only senior striker available. Freddie Ljungberg is set to play behind him, and Wenger hopes Robert Pires' thigh problem clears up, otherwise Quincy Owusu-Abeyie will start. Wenger wants his players to respond to the widespread negativity about their campaign.

"It's true the negative wave is something we have to fight against," he said. "People are all scared it will be a one-man show of Chelsea and that emphasises the negative vibes. But we have to show we can come back strong."

Wenger will field an inexperienced central midfield of Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini because of Gilberto's ankle injury.

Ajax have doubts about Wesley Sneijder, their key creator. They deserved better than a 1-1 draw at Sparta Prague in their opening group game.

Guardian Service