WENGER: DIRE RUN CAN UNITE THE CLUB
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has issued a rallying cry to his under-fire stars, urging them to prove they can cope with the Wembley pressure. Arsenal face Manchester City in tomorrow’s FA Cup semifinal on the back of a win over Middlesbrough on Monday night. But the victory has only provided temporary respite from the criticism aimed at Wenger and his players following a slump that has seen their season implode. Arsenal could still lift their third FA Cup in four seasons and secure a Champions League qualification spot, and Wenger said: ‘When you have negative results like we had, it can divide or unite. You have to show you can fight together. Even if people say it is normal to win at Boro, when you go through a bad run it’s difficult to win anywhere. ‘The best way to win is first to show that you can fight again. People questioned our fighting spirit, rightly so. We have to show we can fight together.’ With Chelsea or Tottenham waiting in the final, Wenger knows it will be tough to win a record-breaking seventh FA Cup but insists he is not thinking about a possible clash against arch-rivals Spurs. ‘If we played, for example, a Championship team, I would honestly say, “Yes”,’ said Wenger. ‘Because we play City, it would be absolutely stupid to speculate on the final. If you asked the neutrals, maybe they will say City are favourites.’ On his FA Cup record, Wenger added: ‘I’m very proud of (winning six) because you have many strong managers in England for many periods. ‘The cup is special. I have won the cup in every country I have worked. So it is always special.’ Wenger may keep the three-man defence used in the win over Boro, but is still without Santi Cazorla, who is making visits to Spain in an effort to be fit for the start of next season. He has been out since September with an achilles injury.