No crisis here, insists Wenger

Bristling Arsene Wenger today dismissed suggestions of a crisis of confidence at Highbury after Arsenal tossed away a two-goal lead against Sunderland in the Worthington Cup and suffered their fifth defeat in six matches.

Boss Wenger was not so much concerned by his reserve team making a third round exit from the League Cup competition to which he has never paid more than scant regard but when asked if confidence at the club might be affected by the mere statistics of recent results he could hardly disguise his irritation.