Arsenal Football Club News

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

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Wenger takes swipe at Hughes

16 Sep 2009 - 08:53:30

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has criticised Mark Hughes' defence of Emmanuel Adebayor in the escalating row over the conduct of the Manchester City striker.

The Togo striker has found himself in the spotlight following his erratic behaviour during Saturday's 4-2 victory over former club Arsenal.

Adebayor ran the full length of the pitch to celebrate scoring in front of travelling Gunners fans, which led to a steward being injured.

He then left former team-mate Robin van Persie with a gashed face after a challenge which the Dutch striker described as a "mindless and malicious stamp".

Adebayor is facing Football Association charges of both violent and improper conduct and could be handed anything up to a six-match ban.

But Wenger has chosen to speak out after being riled by City boss Hughes' defence of the striker he paid £25million for during the summer.

"I watched (the incident involving van Persie) it when I got home and it looked very bad," said the Frenchman.

"You ask 100 people, 99 will say it's very bad and the hundredth will be Mark Hughes."

Meanwhile, Wenger has admitted he was surprised to see Adebayor's "animosity" towards Arsenal fans.

He added: "In a few years I think he will realise just how good Arsenal were for him.

"I played football and I know exactly, in a fraction of a second, when you know your body well, where you leave your foot in or you pull out.

"You know exactly at that fraction, you can injure somebody or you cannot injure somebody and you ease off or you leave your foot in."