Lay off Bellerin, Wenger begs fans

ARSENE WENGER has urged disgruntled Arsenal fans to lay off Hector Bellerin. The young defender bore the brunt of the frustration among Gunners fans during last Monday’s demoralising defeat at Selhurst Park. Bellerin has struggled to rediscover his early-season form since sustaining an ankle injury in November. Wenger believes Bellerin has also suffered with fatigue. That he is likely to be called into Spain’s squad for this summer’s Under 21 European Championship will only serve to intensify his manager’s fears over burn-out. Wenger has confirmed that the right back will not need surgery on his ankle, but he said: ‘He has not come back to his level since he has been injured. ‘I think for a while, he was still feeling the ankle. Then you get bad habits and you forget that your job first is to defend and win challenges because you protect yourself a little bit. ‘He is trying to focus on what is important again, to defend well. He is a guy who is genuinely Arsenal and wants to do well. He’s ready to play with pain.’ And Wenger insists the rest of his players are determined to respond to supporter discontent when they play Middlesbrough tonight. He said: ‘They accept completely that we were not at the right level. The fans want to be behind the team and the way we respond on the football pitch will decide the attitude of the fans. The fans love the club. ‘One of our values is to be together. There’s no better period of the season than now to show it,’ Wenger said. Steve Agnew, interim manager of relegation-threatened Boro, said his side can take inspiration from other clubs who have escaped from seemingly impossible positions. ‘It has happened with Sunderland and Leicester,’ he said. ‘There is no fear in the group, they’re ready for Arsenal, and we know we need to win a game sooner rather than later. All our efforts continue to be geared towards that.’