Arsenal face Crystal Palace at the Emirates as they now look to get a string of good results and finish the season on a high.
Arsene Wenger spoke to the media in his pre-match press conference and and gave updates regarding his squad for the game and also spoke about keeping up with rivals Spurs and Ozil’s PFA nomination.
On squad injuries and selection
In his pre-match press conference, Arsene Wenger provided updates on the Gunners’ injured players. Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are not back in full training yet and they are still on fitness work, the manager confirmed.
Speaking on Wilshere and Rosicky, the Frenchman said that after the Under-21 game in which both featured, there were no reports of any problems.
The Frenchman was sceptical about Per Mertesacker returning on Sunday and is still undecided on his goalkeeper for the game against Crystal Palace. On being asked about playing Ospina ahead of Cech last week, he said “Petr Cech is our No 1 but Ospina is also a fantastic goalkeeper. His numbers are absolutely exceptional in the Premier League. I felt that Petr Cech had only had one week of training and was only just coming back.”
Mesut Ozil’s PFA chances
Arsène Wenger says Mesut Ozil deserves to be PFA Player of the Year because of the number of goals he has created and scored this season. On the club’s official website, the Frenchman said that when it came to providing chances, the German is miles ahead on assists. He believes that his play maker has had a more efficient season. He said “[When it comes to] providing chances, he is miles ahead on assists and combining the goal scoring with the assists means he deserves this award.”
Speaking about Crystal Palace
Speaking about his next opponents, he said Crystal Palace should be safe but they still might need one or two points. The Frenchman went on to single out the Eagles’ offensive line, saying “They have a lot of potential offensively with individuals like Bolasie, Zaha, and Adebayor. They have a big offensive force.” He spoke of the importance of being stronger defensively, following the three goals his side conceded against West Ham in their previous game.
On Spurs Being Ahead
On being asked about what Spurs finishing above them would mean for the future, Sky Sports reports that Wenger said he hopes of catching them during the final fixtures of the season. He said: “First of all, we are not behind yet. Tottenham have been 18 years behind us, they survived you know, so let’s be realistic.”
Arsenal will look to end their season on a high for the sake of the fans. However, it’s surely going to be another summer where there is a lot of debate about whether Wenger should stay at the helm. If finishing the season without a trophy is bad enough, Arsenal fans will have to get used to the fact that they finished behind fierce rivals Spurs.
