Wenger can say what he likes, says Arsenal chairman

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has given Arsene Wenger licence to keep speaking his mind.

Wenger was yesterday charged by the Football Association over his comments about Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Arsenal and United have also been summoned to a peace meeting with the FA and Premier League, who are keen to call a truce in the recent war of words between the two clubs.

But Hill-Wood dismissed the idea of Wenger and Ferguson settling their differences, telling the Daily Express: “Can you see them over a cosy dinner date? I can’t and I wouldn’t insist that our manager does anything like that if he does not want to.

“Wenger is a very intelligent man and he says exactly what he thinks. I’ve not said to him ‘stop insulting Ferguson’ and I’ve no intention of doing so.”

“It was a silly stupid spat but if Wenger believes that van Nistelrooy is a cheat he is going to say so, and if the FA don’t like it that’s up to them.”