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Wenger - League takes priority Arsene Wenger will always love the FA Cup, but the Arsenal manager insists his priority must be Barclays Premier League success. The Gunners host Aston Villa in the fourth round on Sunday looking to lift morale following a third straight league defeat when they lost 2-1 at home to Manchester United last weekend, which saw them fall five points behind Chelsea. Wenger, 62, has won the famous old trophy no fewer than four times since taking charge in 1996. The last came seven years ago, and there has been no silverware since. The Arsenal manager, however, insists he would not take cup glory at Wembley in May ahead of securing another campaign in the Champions League. "I have always told you exactly the same, the priority is be in the top four," said Wenger. "In recent years I felt that we produced always the consistency at the top, top level and it is not enough for some people maybe, but for me that is the brand of a top level club - consistency in the top four." Wenger continued: "I love the FA Cup, I think it is a top-level competition and I will always fight to win it. "I won it four times and lost one final, and I don't know how many semi-finals. I always try to win every single competition. "If you look at my record you will see the FA Cup is important for me. I think our record is better than all of them over the past 15 years. "Even last year we went for four trophies. How many teams go for four trophies this season? Nobody. "We always try to go for everything and for a long, long time last year we went for trophies late in the season, and still we will try to do the same and try to win the FA Cup." Arsenal have some of their defenders closing in on a return to fitness, with full-back Bacary Sagna - out since the defeat at Tottenham in October because of a broken fibula - having an outside chance of being included in the squad. However, midfielder Jack Wilshere has suffered a setback in his planned return from ankle surgery. Despite a packed treatment room, Wenger insists the answer is not just to go out and spend money. "We played recently with 10 players out, to have only two or three out would help us a lot, much more than the transfer market," he said. "You can look around at all the big clubs and who bought players? Nobody because you can't find players at the moment who can strengthen big clubs." Alex McLeish believes Aston Villa should approach the tie with "no fear" even though he concedes Wenger's side will be favourites to reach the fifth round. The Villa boss feels the Gunners will be the team under pressure and their players aware of the need to halt their recent poor run of results. McLeish also has the memory of triumphing over Arsenal in last season's Carling Cup final when Birmingham boss while Villa won 2-1 when they visited the Emirates Stadium last season. But the Scot knows Villa will have to be at their best if they are to spring a surprise result despite Arsenal's current lengthy injury list. McLeish said: "I don't see why we should be fearing Arsenal. I am sure the lads will remember what they have done at the Emirates before. "Statistics don't determine the outcome of this latest encounter but it does offer the players evidence they can do it against the best of the Arsenal teams. "There is a good bit of confidence going into this next game. It's the FA Cup, we are away, the pressure will be more on the home team Arsenal to win. "I'm sure they are under pressure with the fact they've lost two or three games. You rarely see the top clubs losing four in a row. "But at the same time we are not going to be shouting from the rooftops `we're going to do this, we're going to do that.' "We have to be at our best defensively because they have some great attackers - but we have attackers ourselves who can also hurt people." McLeish intends to field his strongest available side against Arsenal even though they have a home league game with QPR to contend with before a visit to Newcastle next weekend. He said: "The magic of the FA Cup dictates you can't leave anything to chance and you have to go and do your utmost to get through to the next round." Strikers Gabriel Agbonlahor (illness) and Emile Heskey (Achilles) plus midfielder Stephen Ireland (hamstring) are all available. end
Match Report
Villa pay penalty for second-half collapse Robin van Persie netted twice from the penalty spot as Arsenal came from two goals down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium and book their place in the FA Cup fifth round. Richard Dunne and Darren Bent had put the visitors in command at the break but the Gunners were given a lifeline at the start of the second half when Dunne upended Aaron Ramsey, and Van Persie coolly dispatched the resulting spot-kick. Within two minutes, Theo Walcott had levelled via a fortunate ricochet and then another penalty from their captain completed the turnaround to send Arsene Wenger's men through to the last 16 against Sunderland or Middlesbrough. Arsenal - who had lost three successive Barclays Premier League games to lose ground on the top four - started quickly. Thomas Vermaelen lashed a 25-yard strike goalwards after being set up from a free-kick by Van Persie, though Villa keeper Shay Given touched over. On 13 minutes, Walcott collected Tomas Rosicky's pass and skipped into the Villa box, but could only blast his shot past the near post. Despite being pegged back, Villa defended resolutely and looked dangerous on the break through Bent and Keane. Gabriel Agbonlahor broke away for Villa down the near side, but then sent his cross too deep through the Arsenal penalty area. It was no real surprise when the visitors took the lead on 33 minutes. A well-worked corner saw Stiliyan Petrov's backheel release Keane, who floated the ball through the Arsenal six-yard box where Dunne got up above a static defence to power in a header. Arsenal looked for an immediate response, with Given needing two attempts to gather a low shot from Rosicky. Ramsey ghosted into from the left, and was blocked at the near post by Given. The Villa stopper then beat away Oxlade-Chamberlain's low, 20-yard strike, before the visitors broke away to make it 2-0 just before half-time. Stephen Ireland fed Bent and his angled drive was parried away by Lukasz Fabianski, but the England striker was first to the loose ball and slotted it in from the tightest of angles. Arsenal had regrouped during the interval and were quickly back on the offensive as Per Mertesacker's header from a corner was cleared off the line by Ireland. Another flowing Arsenal move opened up the Villa defence, but Ramsey stabbed his shot straight at the keeper. The Gunners were awarded a penalty on 54 minutes Dunne upended Ramsey after he latched onto Alex Song's through-ball. Van Persie made no mistake from the spot, sending Given the wrong way as he slotted into the bottom-left corner, to give the tie new life. Within two minutes, Arsenal were level. Walcott darted into the right side of the Villa penalty area and stabbed the ball across the goal-line, where Alan Hutton smashed his clearance back against the England forward and it ricocheted into the net. The Emirates Stadium faithful, so critical of Wenger in last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Manchester United, were now in full voice as the home side continued to sweep forwards. Laurent Koscielny burst down the left and into the edge of the Villa box, where he was caught from behind by Bent and again referee Mike Jones pointed to the spot. Van Persie stepped up once more, this time putting the ball into the bottom right corner for goal number 25 of the season to complete the turnaround on the hour. Villa were left stunned but to their credit, and roared on by a 5,000-strong travelling contingent, they looked to break quickly through Agbonlahor. Walcott cut in from the right and Given had to be alert to beat away his angled drive, the rebound falling just behind Van Persie. Petrov beat the offside trap, but his cutback was booted clear by Mertesacker. Ciaran Clark glanced a header goalwards, which Fabianski held and the Gunners closed out the final 10 minutes to take their place in round five, faith in manager Wenger restored.
