McDermott: Wenger’s record makes good reading

Reading boss Brian McDermott has played down the significance of Arsenal’s trophy drought as he plotted to extend it in his first meeting with his former club tonight.

Former Gunners midfielder McDermott hailed opposite number Arsene Wenger’s “phenomenal achievement” of leading the club into the Champions League for 15 consecutive seasons, backing the Frenchman’s claim it was the equivalent of winning silverware.

The latter is something Arsenal have not done in seven increasingly-agonising years, a run McDermott is determined to lengthen in their Capital One Cup fourth-round clash tonight.

“We’ll do our best to progress,” he said. “We’ll plan, we’ll prepare, and then we’ll see what the game brings.”

Wenger and the Arsenal board have come under fire for the club’s lack of tangible success, with their own fans become increasingly restless.

But McDermott said: “The big thing for the top teams is to qualify for the Champions League and Arsene Wenger’s done that over the last — what — 14 years?

“In his early years, he won so many trophies.

“I’m sure they want to win trophies — of course they do — but they always qualify for the Champions League, which is a phenomenal achievement in itself.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill admits he faces a “balancing act” ahead of tonight’s Capital One Cup fourth-round tie against Middlesbrough.

The Black Cats’ form in the Premier League has been patchy and remains O’Neill’s primary concern, with few goals scored and six draws to show from their first eight games.

A worry ahead of tonight’s tie with Boro is that he has several injuries to consider, with a Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on the horizon at the weekend.

“I’m pleased to have the game. I would rather be in the competition than out of it,” O’Neill said.

“Of course you want players who’ve had less time in recent weeks to get on the field of play and it’s a fine balancing act but the most important issue is to win. It’s a tough call. It’s a tough game and we might have to make a couple of changes in our side and a couple of enforced changes as well. There are a couple of players with a few problems but we’ll go as strong as we can and try and win.’’

Paulo Di Canio, meanwhile, has called on his npower League One side to “make something special” when Swindon host Aston Villa.

“All the attention must now go to the Aston Villa game,” Di Canio said.

“We must stop thinking about the league now and take an extra lift to try and make something special on Tuesday night.’’

Elsewhere tonight, Leeds United host Southampton while Wigan face Bradford.