Thursday Nov 01 2007 09:05
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger again played down talk of a rift with midfielder Gilberto Silva after the
Gunners swept aside Sheffield United 3-0 in the Carling Cup.
The 31-year-old Brazil international made his first start since mid-September against the Blades, but was overlooked for the captain's armband, with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski leading the Gunners at Bramall Lane.
Wenger said after the win: "I didn't give the captaincy to Gilberto at the start of the season, because I didn't want to give it him and take it away again.
"Gilberto was a real leader on the pitch for me. There's basically no problem.
"I don't know why people see a problem with Gilberto. The only problem is that he doesn't get at the moment the number of games that he deserves.
"He is still a key person for me. There's not a lot more say.
"There is no problem so I cannot create one, apart from the captaincy problem I have explained and he is perfectly aware of that."
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