Wenger admits only success can silence Gunners dissenters

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits the only way he can answer his critics at Emirates Stadium is by winning matches.

Wenger has again seen his position under scrutiny following an inconsistent opening to the campaign.

The disquiet has split Arsenal fans, with some supportive of Wenger and others calling for the manager to step down, with critics unfurling a banner calling for the Frenchman to leave after the Gunners’ win at West Brom at the weekend.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s Premier League encounter against Southampton, however, Wenger has stressed the need for unity, both on and off the pitch.

“The most important thing is that internally we are very united. Our job is to be competitive and to fight and that is the way we can do our job, only by being united,” he said.

“We are creating something special inside the club, but that has to come out through performances and games won.

“Our job is to win football games and that is what we want to do, that is the best way to unite everybody.”

Wenger added: “Before Christmas, what you want always to do is to make sure you are in the pot for the Champions League and that you fight at the top of the league.

“At the moment we have achieved the first target but not the second one so we have a battle in front of us to come back in there.”

Arsenal tackle Southampton tonight with injury problems in defence over Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also faces a fitness test.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny remains out because of a hip problem.

Wenger challenged his side to build on recent positive displays against Borussia Dortmund and West Brom as they look to close back up on the top four.

“We want to be competitive in every game,” he said,

Wenger has revealed on Thierry Henry will “certainly” return to the club in some capacity in the future. Henry confirmed on Monday that he will leave the New York Red Bulls after four-and-a-half years, prompting speculation a return to Arsenal could be in the offing.

Wenger insisted yesterday Henry’s return is a certainty.

“He is an Arsenal man. The best moment certainly of his life and of his career has been experienced here,” Wenger said. “Certainly one day he will come back here. In what role I don’t know, that is what he has to think about: what direction he wants to give to his next life.”

Wenger feels Henry could make a successful transition into the dugout.

He said: “Being a manager is a different job, but it is dedication. In this job, it is a dedication of your life.

“Thierry is intelligent, committed, he loves the game. He just has to think, ‘Do I want to sacrifice all the rest of my life to be involved in that job?”

Theoretically Arsenal could sign Henry as a free agent. Wenger believes Henry has the capability to play at the required level but remains uncertain if he would want to.

“Yes (he can still do a job as a player), but 37 today in the Premier League... I don’t think he wants to do that again.”

Meanwhile Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has challenged Saints to handle the chase for a top-four spot after Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to champions Manchester City.

“We can talk about how to handle it all, we can show them clips from games for example, but finally that is for the player by himself to change and to learn off that, and we speak about that,” said Koeman.

“The players don’t have that experience that the players of the big teams have, that’s the difference.”

Southampton face Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea after their clash with Arsenal, all wrapped up in seven matches in 25 days.