Little Puel put mighty Wenger on the canvas

REPORTS

ARSENAL LEICESTER CITY

CLAUDE PUEL has revealed how he almost changed the course of Arsenal history.

Leicester’s French manager kicked Arsene Wenger into touch long before Gunners fans latched on to the idea.

Puel takes his Leicester side to the Emirates tonight celebrating a year in charge and recalling how he gave the legendary manager the cold shoulder.

As the Leicester team bus pulls into the ground tonight, Puel will have a chuckle casting his mind back to a winter’s day in Monaco when he sent his then-boss flying.

Puel said: “There was snow on the pitch and we played with a red ball so we could see it more easily. Sometimes Arsene liked to play in training sessions with us.

“It was a ball between me and him and we arrived at the same time but as I touched the ball he somersaulted through the air and fell into the snow with his arms flailing and he couldn’t move. It was funny. He was crying out and the physio had to come and get him and take him to the gym. We continued the session with his assistant. I thought it was finished for me.”

Puel tells the story as if to underline that beneath his softly-spoken mild exterior there is a devil inside, hell-bent on winning.

Even his wife does not escape his competitive nature.

Puel said: “Two or three times I try to play a little golf. Sometimes if I play with my wife there is a problem because I have to be competitive. So I let my wife win – that way I can eat something.

“She doesn’t accept this. Often she is angry. All the family are in competition.”

Wenger’s successor Unai Emery hopes Arsenal will gain where Germany lost when Mesut Ozil returns tonight.

The midfielder quit international football after the World Cup – and Germany suffered another two humbling defeats last week to make it six losses in 2018. Emery said: “I explain to the players it is not easy at national level. When they stop these games maybe it can lead to more focus for us, improving on things.”