Wenger: Almunia is staying put

ARSENE WENGER has challenged Manuel Almunia to prove he is still the Arsenal number one.

The veteran Spaniard is scheduled to return to full training with the squad next week following an elbow problem, with understudy Lukasz Fabianski set to be in goal again at Everton tomorrow.

The Pole has impressed since standing in after Almunia was sidelined at the end of September but Wenger insisted he offered no guarantees of first-team football to any player – with selection based purely on performance.

“Of course Almunia has a future at the club. He has been out for a long time, but he must come back and show the performances in training and his quality,” the Arsenal manager said.

Wenger rejected suggestions he would allow Almunia to leave during January.

“At the moment what we are focused on is to win together with the squad we chose at the start of the season,” he said.

Wenger, meanwhile, has softened his stance on Robin van Persie’s participation in Holland’s friendly against Turkey on Wednesday by admitting the striker could play a half to help him gain match fitness.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk included Van Persie in his squad for the game despite Wenger’s insistence the striker would not be available having just returned from a 10-week injury lay-off.

Van Marwijk slammed Wenger for “moaning” about Van Persie’s availability but the Gunners boss now seems willing to come to an agreement.

“We will sit down with Robin and the Dutch manager to sort that out,” said Wenger, who is likely to name Van Persie on the bench for tomorrow’s match.

The pitfalls of man management don’t need to be explained to David Moyes, Wenger’s opposite number tomorrow.

The Everton boss has blamed himself for Jermaine Beckford’s slow start at Goodison Park, admitting he picked him too soon.

Beckford opened his Premier League account by curling home a brilliant late equaliser against Bolton on Wednesday that had Moyes raving.

“I think I probably did him a bit of damage (by picking him so soon),” said Moyes.

“But what he did the other night is what everyone knows he is capable of – he scored a really good goal.”