Wenger: I don’t need more players this season

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has vowed to look right through the January transfer window.

The Gunners are emerging as genuine contenders for the title after a stuttering start to the season, with Sunday’s 4-0 win at Reading their fifth successive Premiership victory.

Wenger has seen Chelsea and Manchester United outspend him regularly in recent seasons but insists he will not even be looking for a bargain when the transfer window reopens in just over two months’ time.

The Gunners have been linked with France World Cup star Franck Ribery but if the midfielder is to pull on a red and white shirt in the future it will not be this season, according to his fellow countryman.

He said: “We have a squad and we will not buy in January. We will keep with the squad until the end of the season.”

The Frenchman expects two of his injured players, Lauren and Abou Diaby, to be back in action by then anyway with summer signing Julio Baptista now only a couple of weeks away from a return.

Arsenal are in Carling Cup third-round action at West Brom tonight and Wenger will use the fixture to give games to a clutch of players who are either recently recovered from injury or are used only occasionally anyway.

Defender Philippe Senderos will play for the first time since dislocating a shoulder in World Cup action for Switzerland in June and Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Mathieu Flamini, Alexandre Song and Jeremie Aliadiere are all set for starts in a lineup featuring England’s Theo Walcott and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor as the attacking threats.

Reading will attempt to lick their wounds in the same competition tomorrow night when they make their first trip to Anfield. Royals boss Steve Coppell insisted that to have been beaten so comprehensively by Arsenal was no disgrace and hoped his players would be able to take some positives from the experience.

He said: “It is inspirational, I must admit it is. This season is a continuous test for us and we have another ‘easy’ game on Wednesday, Liverpool away. We have to be able to come back and perform in those kind of matches.”

Coppell has also been using cup competitions as a vehicle for his fringe players and made 10 changes from his usual Premiership lineup in the previous round, when a penalty shootout was needed to dispose of League Two outfit Darlington.

Injuries may force him to make fewer changes this time against a Liverpool side that is always changed whatever the competition by Rafael Benitez. Skipper Graeme Murty and winger Bobby Convey join knee injury victims Dave Kitson and Peter Mate on the sidelines. Defender Andre Bikey is back from suspension.