FA Cup cheer temporarily eases pressure on Wenger

The daggers which seem to permanently hover just behind Arsene Wenger’s back, and which inched even closer following the disrespectful and disgraceful comments made by Jose Mourinho, should now be sheathed; Arsenal’s season is very much alive.

When you consider Wenger has spent 18 years in north London, years that have included some of the greatest in the club’s history, it seems astonishing that he has had to spend so much time over the last 18 months justifying his decisions and defending his selections.

There was a moment here too — half an hour before kick-off against Liverpool — when his critics stirred in the shadows and smelled another opportunity for attack; Wenger had just made seven changes from the team that drew 0-0 against Manchester United, opening himself up to accusations that he was denigrating the FA Cup and damaging his team’s best opportunity of ending a nine-year wait for a trophy.