Wenger salutes Arsenal’s spirit

ARSENE WENGER believes his Arsenal side are showing the characteristics of champions after they moved to second in the Premier League with victory at Goodison Park.

Arsenal have lost just once in seven away matches this season and picked up three points thanks to goals from Bacary Sagna and Cesc Fabregas, with Tim Cahill pulling one back late on for Everton.

Wenger says he has said it many times before, but he thinks his players are starting to come of age.

He remains reticent about how far his team can go this season but they are starting to back up the faith he has shown in his youthful side over recent years.

He said: “I feel the performance has shown we have something that is not only quality football but spirit and fighting spirit.

“They are ingredients you need if you to fight for the championship like we want to do.

“We have shown discipline, commitment, togetherness, desire 100% focus for 90 minutes and we got the three points.

“I’ve said it for a long time but we get a lot of encouragement from the way we play at the moment, with our discipline and our focus.

“We’ve had two difficult away games, Wolves and here, but we have got six points and that puts us in a good situation. The team has shown great spirit.’

“We were hanging on a bit at the end but overall I am satisfied with 2-1.”

Wenger maintains Nicklas Bendter is going nowhere despite the Dane claiming he will leave the Emirates if he does not get regular first-team football.

The 22-year-old, who has made just two starts this term, has said he “can’t accept sitting on the bench” after battling his way back to full fitness from a groin injury.

Bendtner missed yesterday’s trip to Merseyside with a groin problem that is likely to keep him out of Denmark duty this week.

But Wenger is adamant he will keep the forward despite his outburst.

Asked if the player still had a future at the Emirates Stadium, Wenger said: “Yes, for the length of his contract – that is three more years.

“I want him to stay. I’ve known Nicklas since he was 16 years old. I have a strong, good rapport with him, good communication and I like him as a player and as a person, even if I do not necessarily agree with all his statements. Overall I want him to stay and be part of the group,” he said.

Everton manager David Moyes felt his side could not claim they were even worth a point.

“I can’t really say we deserved an awful lot,” Moyes said. “I didn’t think Arsenal were great on the day but I didn’t think we were. Losing a goal just before half-time was crucial.

“We tried to keep going. We wanted to do that from the first minute. We didn’t generate anything on the pitch to make it a tougher place for them to come.”