Source: Daily_Mail
You'd cheer a Wayne Rooney dive if it won you the World Cup, says Arsene Wenger
Arsene Wenger hit back at Eduardo's critics on Thursday, claiming Wayne Rooney would not be demonised in the same way should he dive to win England the World Cup.
Eduardo was booed and jeered by England fans during the 5-1 win over Croatia on Wednesday in response to his dive for Arsenal against Celtic.
Arsenal will hear the outcome of their appeal against Eduardo's two-game European ban on Monday.
Wenger has conceded the striker exaggerated his fall, but he still believes Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc made contact with Eduardo and a penalty was justified.
'Eduardo made a bit more of it but watch the television and it is part of the game,' said the Arsenal manager.
'It is a very fine line between being shrewd and cheating the referee.
'You cannot prove intent from a guy who is touched; he goes down and shows the referee that it is a penalty.
'It's a very emotional situation. Being a hero or a cheat depends very much on what side of the camp you are on.
'England are in the World Cup and if Rooney does that in the last minute of the game and England win the World Cup, do you really think Rooney will be slaughtered the next day?'
Wenger expects Eduardo to be on the receiving end of more rough treatment when Arsenal take on Manchester City in the Barclays Premier League tomorrow.
But the Arsenal manager does not believe the abuse will have an adverse effect on his player, who battled back from a horrific double fracture of his ankle at Birmingham last season.
However, Wenger conceded that the diving controversy may see Eduardo struggle to win penalties in future and he claimed Glen Johnson's challenge on his player at Wembley was worthy of a spot-kick.
Wenger said: 'Any situation you face as a top player you have to deal with. You have to be mentally strong.
'The worst thing is that he is not given penalties now that are penalties. I believe that (Johnson's challenge) was a penalty.
'You want everybody to be treated fairly and I don't believe he has been treated fairly.
'I don't think it will affect him. He's been through a lot more difficult things than that. The good way to deal with that is that he is in good health. It's a minor event considering what he's gone through before.'
Eduardo is in line for a start at Eastlands after Wenger was rocked by Andrey Arshavin aggravating a groin injury playing for Russia against Wales. The forward will miss Arsenal's next three games at least.
Guus Hiddink's decision to select Arshavin for Russia's game in Wales, after he had missed Saturday's qualifying win against Liechtenstein, has angered Wenger.
'Arshavin will be out for Saturday,' he confirmed. 'He should not have played (for Russia). He will also be out for Wednesday against Standard Liege and against Wigan next weekend.
'He had a groin problem which is why I took him off against Manchester United. He should not have played. You can say a lot, but it doesn't do a lot.'
