Wenger expects Town will fight
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger does not believe Huddersfield Town deserved to lose their last Premier League match against Manchester City.
The Terriers were beaten by a late Raheem Sterling strike last time out, but the 22-season boss believes Town were worthy of at least a point at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Wenger said: “It’s a massive game for us. I watched Huddersfield against City, they didn’t deserve to lose.”
And the Gunners’ boss is doubly aware of the threat Town will pose to the north London side, claiming the Terriers have “come from hell” to play in the Premier League.
Wenger, 68, will not underestimate David Wagner’s side despite Arsenal having an extra 24 hours to prepare, due to Town’s performance against the league leaders and their “fighting spirit” - borne out of the gruelling Championship regime.
“These teams come from hell,” said Wenger. “They play 46 games to come out of the Championship.
“So they have a fighting spirit that makes them dangerous to every team in the league, no matter what kind of names you have on the team sheet.”
Arsenal have a big week in the Premier League, with the Gunners taking on Manchester United in the top flight on Saturday evening.
But Wenger is adamant his side is focused on the task at hand, not Jose Mourinho’s men who visit the Emirates this weekend.
When asked whether he would have an eye on Saturday’s match, Wenger replied: “Zero eye. The most important game is tonight against Huddersfield, no matter what happens after.
“We have a good chance to take three points at home, that’s all that matters.”
Meanwhile, Wenger expects both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to stay at Arsenal beyond the January transfer window unless “something unbelievable” happens.
The pair are out of contract at the end of the season as both have so far opted against signing new deals at the Emirates Stadium.
Ozil has recently been linked with a move to Barcelona while Sanchez almost joined Manchester City on the final day of the summer transfer window, only for Arsenal to pull the plug when they failed to land Thomas Lemar as his replacement.
Wenger has reiterated several times since then that he has no concerns over the commitment of the pair, with Sanchez scoring a lastgasp penalty as the Gunners won 1-0 at Burnley on Sunday to move into the Premier League top four.
They host Town tonight with Ozil likely to be missing through the illness which ruled him out at Turf Moor, but Wenger is now of the belief that the influential duo will not be sold in January - even though they could then walk away for free six months later.
“Yes, I rule it out,” he replied when asked whether he ruled out Ozil and Sanchez leaving in January.
“I do not think about that every day. At the moment, as long as they are here, they have to give their best for the team and for the club.
“In my head, they stay until the end of the season and that’s a decision that was taken at the start of the season. Unless something unbelievable happens, I can’t see why that would change.”
Alex Iwobi (leg) is definitely missing from tonight’s game, as is long-term injury absentee Santi Cazorla (ankle), but they are Wenger’s only two sidelined players.
Cech, Ospina, Mertesacker, Holding, Koscielny, Mustafi, Chambers, Monreal, Debuchy, Bellerin, Nelson, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Ramsey, Wilshere, Xhaka, Elneny, Ozil, Walcott, Sanchez, Welbeck, Lacazette, Giroud.