The Gunners were booed off at half-time at Emirates Stadium after seeing Aaron Ramsey clip the crossbar with their only clear chance of the first 45 minutes.

But Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty broke the deadlock after a disputed foul by Bruno Martins Indi on Mesut Ozil, before the Gabon striker fired home from an Ozil corner.

Aubameyang then passed up the chance to claim a hat-trick after Badou Ndiaye’s push on substitute Alexandre Lacazette, who converted the penalty for a scoreline that flattered the Gunners.

Arsenal, who host CSKA Moscow in the Europa League next, remain 13 points outside the Premier League’s top four after Tottenham later won at Chelsea so Wenger understands why there were scores of empty seats.

“It’s just down to the fact that we’re not fighting for the championship,” he said. “People know that will not change now. They will be back on Thursday, don’t worry.

“It’s explainable by the fact that it’s Easter. It’s a family happening where people go away and it’s a fact that we don’t think about a lot in the Premier League. There’s also the fact that we had a break.”

Despite having 17 days between matches – a result of the international break and being out of the FA Cup – Arsenal looked laboured in possession before showing greater urgency after the break.

Stoke did hit the woodwork through Xherdan Shaqiri’s second-half corner but the hosts were in the ascendancy when the first penalty was awarded. However, replays showed that Martins Indi appeared to get his left foot to the ball before catching Ozil from behind.

Ndiaye then fired narrowly wide for Stoke before Arsenal condemned the Potters to their eighth game without a win, keeping them second from bottom and three points from safety.

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Source: BBC

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The 68-year-old has faced calls to leave the Gunners – who face Stoke on Sunday – after their failure to qualify for the Champions League last season, as well as their 14-year wait to win another Premier League title.

But Wenger believes a lack of success on the pitch may not be the only factor in the criticism coming his way, telling BeIN Sport: “When you age, you focus on doing well for your club and ignore all the rest. The older you get, the more it becomes age discrimination.

“I accept if the results are not good enough then you have to take the consequences. But overall that perpetual thing of how long you have been at a club, how old you are, I find that a bit difficult to take.

“But all the rest I have to accept because I am in a public job and have to make results and I accept I will be judged on results.”

Wenger has won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups during his 22 years with Arsenal and believes that, when he does finally leave the Emirates, the club’s fans will remember him for what he did for the club.

Arsenal are currently sixth in the Premier League – 13 points off the top four

He said: “I am maybe naive enough to believe that with the time going on, with perspective and context what will stand out is what I have done for my club and not so much the result of the last game or how much I will be applauded when I stop one day.

“I’m a little bit fed up of all that modern thing about completely taking care of image. I’ve always worked my whole life with the idea of who you are rather than how you look so I’m not too concerned about that.”

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Source: Sky Sports

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Sanchez, 29, is out of contract in June and is thought to have agreed personal terms with the Old Trafford club.

“I worked on transfers for 30 years so it is likely to happen, but at any moment it can break down,” said Wenger.

Wenger also said it was a “possibility” United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be a part of the deal.

“I like the player,” added Wenger. “We played many times against him when he was at Dortmund. He appreciated the quality of our games. The wages would not be a problem.”

Armenia international Mkhitaryan, 28, has not agreed terms on a move but was left out of the league win over Stoke on Monday, with manager Jose Mourinho confirming the decision was not tactical.

Aubameyang? Malcom? Or will Sanchez remain?

At a news conference on Thursday, Wenger said Chile international Sanchez will feature against Crystal Palace on Saturday if he does not complete a transfer.

“As long as it’s not over the line you have to accept it may not happen,” added the Frenchman. “These kind of things are not guaranteed.

“I have no problem with Sanchez’s attitude. He was in training yesterday fully committed. He is 29 years old and the next contract will of course be very important to him.”

Arsenal sold forward Theo Walcott to Everton on Wednesday and Wenger has been linked with moves for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bordeaux forward Malcom to bolster his squad.

He said the club were not close to completing a deal for 20-year-old Brazilian Malcolm but added that Aubameyang, 28, would “fit in”.

Asked about any deal for the Gabon international, Wenger said: “This kind of thing is better when it’s secret and when you don’t comment before announcing it when it’s over the line.

“Would he fit in? Yes, because character can be a very positive note and negative – but overall you look at the achievement of a player over his career.

“When it’s been positive the character has been used in a positive way.”

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Source: BBC

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said that he has been invited by the new Liberia president George Weah to his inauguration later this month.

Wenger was Weah’s manager at French side Monaco between 1988 and 1992 but he is not sure he will able to attend.

“I have been invited by George to come to the day where he will be the President,” he said.

“I believe I will be busy but if I am suspended (for his comments on referees) I will have time to go.”

Wenger is facing a Football Association disciplinary hearing for various comments he made about referees in recent weeks.

The Arsenal boss admits he still finds it hard to believe what Weah has achieved.

“The life of this guy is a real film. It is unbelievable. It can make a fantastic film,” said an excited Wenger.

“I remember when I saw him the first time at Monaco, coming in a bit lost, not knowing anybody, not being rated by anybody as a player and becoming the best player in the world in 1995 and today becoming the president of his country.

Wenger also recalled the passion and love Weah had for Liberia.

“I went with George during the period when there was war in Liberia and I have seen how much he suffered for his country,” Wenger added.

“That was the thing which was continuous in his country, the love for his country and for his people.

“Today when I look back I see him crying when war was on in Liberia so it’s a happy story.

“I wish he has a happy presidency and I would like to say this guy is an example for everybody who plays football today.”

Weah won a presidential run off poll last month beating Joseph Boakai with more than 60% of the vote.

He will succeed Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female president.

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Source: BBC

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The under-fire Frenchman had failed to beat Mourinho in the pair’s previous 12 league meetings but he got his first three points against the former Chelsea boss just when he needed it.

Granit Xhaka’s deflected strike gave the hosts a lead at the start of the second half before ex-United striker Danny Welbeck scored his third in as many games against his former employers to secure a 2-0 win.

Arsenal remain sixth despite the win but will still harbour hopes of closing an eight-point gap on Manchester City in fourth.

United still had a strong side despite making eight changes from their Europa League semi-final first leg against Celta Vigo but Mourinho’s unblemished record against Wenger never looked like remaining intact.

The likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney came into the side for the visitors, with the latter guilty of missing a great first-half chance.

The recalled Rooney, who has scored more Premier League goals against the Gunners than any other player, headed over an early Mata cross. Arsenal tested David De Gea soon after but the Spaniard easily saved an Alexis Sanchez effort.

The lively early start continued as Anthony Martial ghosted in behind the three-man Arsenal defence to collect a Rooney pass only to see his shot turned behind by Petr Cech.

Both goalkeepers were called on to keep their sides level and it was De Gea who showed why he had been named in the PFA Premier League team of the year as he dived low to tip an Aaron Ramsey shot away from goal following a superb Mesut Ozil pass.

The chances dried up slightly but the mood had been set, Welbeck came close as the half wore on, fit-again Jones bravely blocking his close-range shot.

Smalling was the next to prevent his former colleague opening the scoring with a similar effort as the hosts began to ramp up the pressure. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sold Rooney a dummy and then forced another save out of De Gea with a long-range strike.

Their good work was almost undone as Rob Holding played a pass into his own box which Rooney was alive to, beating Laurent Koscielny to the ball but not tucking it past Cech when clean through.

The half petered out but Arsenal needed less than 10 minutes after the interval to take the lead – albeit with a huge slice of luck. Xhaka lined up a long-range strike and his speculative effort took a big deflection off the back of Herrera to loop up over De Gea to open the scoring.

And the hosts needed a little over three minutes to double their advantage as Welbeck rose unmarked to head home an inch-perfect Oxlade-Chamberlain cross.

Mourinho turned to Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford from his bench but it was Rooney again testing Cech with a low free-kick. Arsenal had United at arm’s length for the remainder of the contest, seeing out the game with professionalism and giving their manager a victory to savour in a forgettable season. Source: Talksport

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Wenger’s Arsenal side face Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United on Sunday (kick-off 16:00 BST), battling to reach the Premier League’s top four places.

Mourinho has questioned the desire of defenders Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones to return from injury.

“You can do that in extreme situations but it has to be handled carefully,” said veteran Arsenal boss Wenger.

Mourinho questioned full-back Shaw’s commitment and focus to the club last month and then said the player used “his body with my brain” after the 1-1 draw against Everton two days later.

The former Chelsea manager was also unhappy with the “cautious” mentality of centre-backs Smalling and Jones for failing to play through pain during the Manchester derby.

Smalling has been struggling with a leg injury, while Jones suffered a toe problem in a training ground tackle made by his team-mate.
This week, former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton said Mourinho was “humiliating” his players by querying their dedication to the Red Devils.

Wenger added: “Ideally you have to be careful with that because you cannot do that in every single game.

“You can do that in extreme situations but it has to be handled carefully because it just makes that stress level worse for them. Top players have a good and objective assessment. They know well where they stand.

“You cannot always say to the players ‘we are all in the same boat and in this together to achieve something’ and then you jump out of the boat and say, ‘it’s your fault now’, but when it goes well you take the credit.

“You are in a position where you have to be part of it and fight for them when it doesn’t go well, you have to control what you say.”

United go into the game five points ahead of sixth-placed Arsenal, having played a game more, but are four points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool, although the Old Trafford club have a game in hand.

Manchester United winger Ashley Young has been ruled out of the game at Arsenal with a hamstring injury.

Young, 31, was injured after coming on as a substitute in the Europa League semi-final win over Celta Vigo on Thursday.

It is not known exactly how long Young will be out for but there are fears he could be sidelined for the rest of the season.

United manager Mourinho has threatened to play youngsters at the Emirates Stadium after deciding to prioritise his side’s European campaign.

Four players yet to make a first-team appearance have been included in his travelling squad for tomorrow’s game.

Matty Willock and Scott McTominay have been included in recent United squads. They have travelled to London, along with 20-year-old England Schoolboys winger Demetri Mitchell and teenage United States Under-19 international defender Matt Olosunde.

Arsenal could be without midfielder Granit Xhaka who has a calf problem, but defender Shkodran Mustafi could play after returning from a back injury.

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Source: BBC

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Wenger, 67, has been criticised by some fans after Arsenal slipped to sixth in the Premier League following four defeats in their past five games.

A 10-2 aggregate loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League added to the pressure and Wenger says he will make a decision on his future “very soon”.

“He’s a great man in my opinion,” said Iwobi, 20. “I’d like him to stay.”

Wenger’s contract expires at the end of the season but he has been offered a new two-year deal.

“He’s always helped me and developed me as player,” Iwobi told the BBC’s World Football programme.

“I don’t think it’s fair the way everybody criticises him. It’s very unfair considering what he’s done.

“He’s always achieved fourth place, been in the Champions League and been up there with the title contenders.”

Contract negotiations with two of Arsenal’s star names, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, have been put on hold until the summer, and Iwobi hopes an agreement can be reached over their futures.

“As you can see from stats, goals and chances they create they are key players in our team,” he said.

“Everything offensively almost goes through them. Even though we have other players they are world-class players.

“For the club it’d be great for them to stay, but at the end of the day it’s their decisions.”

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Source: BBC

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A first-half Theo Walcott goal gave Arsenal a glimmer of hope, but Laurent Koscielny was sent off while conceding a penalty soon after the break, and Robert Lewandowski scored from the spot.

Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa then added goals before a Arturo Vidal added gloss to the scoreline with a late brace.

With the result mostly in hand after the 5-1 first leg in Germany, many Arsenal fans began their night with a pregame march to the Emirates calling for Arsene Wenger to step down.

And after Arsenal were dealt an additional blow by losing Danny Welbeck to an injury in the warm-up, Bayern were comfortable in possession in the opening minutes before the Gunners found their footing.

Olivier Giroud, starting in place of Welbeck, saw the first real chance on 13 minutes, but his header from close range only scraped the outside of the post.

Walcott provided Arsenal’s goal on 20 minutes after he split two defenders and blasted a shot into the roof of the net from the side of the six-yard box.

Bayern nearly erased the goal four minutes later as Vidal saw his header saved by Ospina, then put his follow-up attempt over the bar.

Walcott had another chance from a similar position to where he scored hit the side netting before he was booked along with David Alaba after the two clashed.

But as the second half began, Bayern reasserted control. After having a goal ruled out for offside, the game ended as a contest after Koscielny was dismissed in the 53rd minute.

With Lewandowski racing in on goal, Koscielny tried to shoulder the striker off the ball but could not draw level and the referee pointed to the spot.

Lewandowski sent David Ospina the wrong way to equalise on the night and end the round-of-16 clash as a contest.

Robben then ensured Bayern left London with the second-leg victory in the 68th minute. Ospina sent a poor clearance right to him, and though it appeared Alexis Sanchez had won the ball back, Robben took it off his foot and scored easily.

The floodgates were opened and Costa added another goal in the 78th minute when he ran at Shkodran Mustafi before curling a shot inside the far post.

Arsenal were still attempting to mount an attack two minutes later when Xabi Alonso picked off a Mustafi pass and passed ahead for Vidal to scoop a shot past the helpless Ospina.

Bayern’s fifth followed with five minutes to play, Renato Sanches lofting a pass over Arsenal’s high line to Douglas Costa, who unselfishly fed across for Vidal.

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Source: ESPN

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Wenger, 67, was appointed as Arsenal manager in September 1996.

Wright told BBC Radio 5 live on Friday: “He looks tired. I feel he will go at the end of the season.”

But Wenger said: “We had a little dinner, not the two of us. I appreciate you want me to rest but I’m not ready.”

He added he could look tired because “I get up early in the morning”.

What was Wright’s response?
Wright, who played under Wenger for two seasons between 1996 and 1998, reiterated during his analysis on Saturday’s Match of the Day that he believes Wenger will go.

“We were at a question and answer session and the way he was speaking and his demeanour… it’s my opinion. I could be wrong,” said the 53-year-old.

“I still think he has some massive decisions to make and think it could be his last season.”

‘My job is to make these people happy’
Wenger is the Premier League’s longest-serving manager and his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Frenchman last won the Premier League title in 2004 and has been under pressure at the Emirates following league defeats by Watford and Chelsea.

However, after his side’s 2-0 win against Hull, he added: “I focus on what is important: winning football games and getting the team to perform. The rest, I cannot influence.

“I have big respect for this country and this club, and I am grateful because I have worked here for 20 years. My job is to make these people happy and when I don’t do that I feel guilty – that’s why it’s important for us to win.”

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Source: BBC

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