WENGER: NOW BUILD ON SLICK MILAN WIN
ARSENAL BOSS HOPES THE BELIEF IS BACK AFTER MORALE-BOOSTING SAN SIRO SUCCESS
Arsene Wenger watched Arsenal ease to victory over AC Milan at San Siro and now wants the win to give belief back to his beleaguered players.
The Gunners travelled to Italy for last night’s first leg of this Europa League last-16 tie on the back of four damaging defeats.
But, after Henrikh Mkhitaryan hit his first goal for the London club on 15 minutes and Aaron Ramsey rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma to add a second on the stroke of half-time, Arsenal secured a 2-0 win to take back to the Emirates next week.
Milan were poor, belying their improved form since Gennaro Gattuso took charge in November, but this was a performance that Arsenal needed.
Their hopes of returning to the Champions League all but rest on winning this competition, given that they are 13 points adrift of the Premier League’s top four.
So it was a timely display to keep their season alive, with boss Wenger hopeful that the result can lift some of the negativity affecting his players. Asked if the win was just what Arsenal needed, he replied: “Yes, and what we wanted especially.
“At some stage, you need to respond and respond together with a good performance. That’s what we did tonight.
“We have won again but we have not qualified. The result will lift the belief in the team again. When you lose three games in six days, it’s always very difficult.
“We want to keep our focus and finish the job next week. That’s what the target is.”
Wenger has admitted in recent weeks that confidence in his squad has been low.
But the 68-year-old, who has come under fresh scrutiny during the recent run, insists there has always been a desire among his players to turn things around. “I feel (we still have it),” he added.
“That’s what we want to show. That is in front of us and that’s what we want to show, that we have the mental resources and qualities.
“I spoke about the cup final but people forget that to get to the cup final in England, you need mental resources and you need mental qualities.
“We lost against a team who are dominating English football at the moment, and it was unexplainable.
“We have to accept that. It doesn’t mean that the team has no spirit. We all have to show that until the end of the season.”
Goalscorer Ramsey said: “We showed that we have plenty of characters in this team. It is never easy to come to San Siro and play AC Milan. I know from past experience - we came here and lost 4-0. “I’m really pleased to win. On-loan Sunderland striker Fabio Borini got off the bench for the final 10 minutes for Milan, without being able to make an impact.