Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Cesc alludes to Arsene's anger

14 Dec 2009 - 08:21:31

Click To Enlarge

Captain Cesc Fabregas revealed an angry half-time rebuke from the normally placid Arsene Wenger was behind Sunday's 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield.

The Gunners moved up to third place in the table following their narrow victory, which had looked out of reach following a below-par first half.

Wenger's interval blast led to a fightback as a Glen Johnson own goal and then a 58th-minute winner from Andrey Arshavin cancelled out Dirk Kuyt's first-half opener for the previously dominant Reds.

"The boss screamed. I've never seen him like that before," revealed Fabregas.

"He was really disappointed in the first half and said we didn't deserve to wear the Arsenal shirt if we played like that - and I think he was right.

"In the second half we turned it round."

Wenger refused to discuss his half-time actions as Arshavin returned to haunt Liverpool for the second time in eight months at Anfield .

The diminutive Russian, who scored all four in a 4-4 draw with the Reds in April, hammered home a thunderous winner following his manager's stirring words.

"I will not explain what I said at half-time," said Wenger. "I will only say that Liverpool dominated the first half and Arsenal dominated the second period.

"Liverpool played at a pace above us and won all the 50-50s in the first period, and at half-time a score of just 1-0 down was good for us.

"I never speak about what I say at half-time. You respond to what you believe your team needs. I try to be composed. I was quite composed.

"But it is good that after 13 years as manager I can still surprise the players like that."