Wenger wants killer instinct from strikers

ARSENE WENGER has urged Arsenal to display their killer instinct at Manchester City today and prevent Robbie Fowler from inflicting more misery on his side.

Wenger wants killer instinct from strikers

Wenger insists that a rash of injuries, affecting David Seaman, Ashley Cole, Fredrik Ljungberg, Oleg Luzhny and Kanu, will not deflect Arsenal from their title-winning path at Maine Road.

However, he admits the Gunners are facing one of the four strongest strike-forces in the Premiership in Nicolas Anelka and Fowler, despite having sold the former and resisted a move for the latter.

Wenger said: "Robbie Fowler has a good record against us and he's a great player but we want to keep him quiet. I rate him as a very intelligent player, but you can only sign players when you need them and I've never needed a striker in the past couple of years.

"His biggest problem has not been his class but his injuries as you need a consistent level of performances. That's why he doesn't have an international career at the moment but he's still young."

Wenger believes his own side have the best strike partnership in the Premiership, in the shape of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.

However, he added: "With Anelka and Fowler up front, you might think City were going for the title. They are one of the best three or four strike partnerships in the Premiership.

"They have good suppliers as well in Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic and, once their moves are co-ordinated, they can be top level."

Despite his injury problems, Wenger insists his squad is stronger than at the same stage last season and he is still expecting another sustained run to the finish line.

"What we want to do in the final sprint is to make the most out of our domination. We felt a bit frustrated against Ajax as it was a game we could have won, just as against Newcastle and Liverpool," he admitted.

Ljungberg is still the most worrying absentee, given that he has not featured since December 21 and has started just 17 games all season due to a run of hip, ankle, virus and Achilles problems.

However, Wenger is confident his Swedish international can still "have a word in the final sprint of the season.

He added: "It's a surprising thing as there is nothing wrong with his scan, other than a bit of fluid on the shin, but he still has pain.

"Even if we can only bring him on for 20 minutes, he has the bite to get into the box and force things when people are tired. He's a winner."

Wenger added that a decision will be made this summer whether Seaman will be given another one-year contract and whether a top-class keeper is signed as his long-term replacement.

Wenger revealed: "I have offered David a goalkeeping coaching contract after he retires from playing. That could be next season or the one after.

"It is a position where you can mix it up with other things. I think he loves the game and he's a generous guy as he loves to give advice to people."

Meanwhile, Kevin Keegan has hailed the "sensational" job Wenger has done at Arsenal and believes the Gunners coach has revolutionised the English game.

"What Arsene Wenger has done at Arsenal is nothing short of sensational," said the Blues boss.

"He has brought a new managerial approach to the game in this country.

"Yes, he has brought some great players to England we have got one of them in Nicolas Anelka but it is more than that.

"It is the whole way of living, the way they approach things, the respect for the profession. It needed doing at clubs in this country.

"In our day there was a tradition in this country of 'let's get together and that will be enough'. It has to be more than that, and Arsene has come here and given us lots to mimic and copy."

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