Wenger happy to keep faith with Cole

Arsene Wenger insisted that Ashley Cole will start tonight’s clash against Manchester United – as he has no doubts over his commitment to Arsenal.

Wenger is concerned by reports that Chelsea made an illegal approach for Cole in a meeting said to have taken place between Jose Mourinho, Peter Kenyon, agent Pini Zahavi and the full-back.

Indeed, the Arsenal boss fears that the reports may be true, even if he has not asked Cole directly whether he attended the alleged meeting as he believes the onus is on Chelsea to come clean first.

However, Wenger maintains that Cole will still sign a new contract at Highbury, giving him the wage rise that he is looking for in recognition of his huge progress over the past couple of years.

“I am 100% sure that Ashley Cole will extend his contract as he is part of the bunch of players who are the core and heart of the team,” declared Wenger.

“Ashley said he is fed up with that story, he is completely committed to the club and he doesn’t want to know about it.

“We are not far away from a deal with him and I feel he will be under pressure from the other players to stay here.”

Cole, 24, gave his manager some reassurance over his future in a brief conversation before training yesterday and that is good enough for Wenger.

Asked if the full-back would start against United, he insisted: “Yes, because I have no doubt about his commitment to the club.

“If he had said to me that he didn’t feel he could play as he was in the middle of a thunderstorm, then no, I wouldn’t have picked him.

“But I know his strength of character and I have no doubt about that. I think you will see a great game from him.”

Wenger is still calling on Chelsea to make a categorical denial of the News of the World claim that Mourinho and Kenyon attended a secret meeting with Cole at a London hotel last Thursday.

Arsenal were due to assess the newspaper’s evidence, taken from alleged witnesses, before deciding whether to make a formal complaint to the Premier League.

“Before we complain, we must have evidence the meeting has happened but I don’t know how so much assertive evidence comes out in a newspaper [if it is] just being invented,” observed Wenger.

Indeed, he concluded that “it looks to me like, yes, it has happened, although I don’t know [for sure]“.

Chelsea chief executive Kenyon, who held a secret meeting with Sven-Goran Eriksson last season, yesterday insisted that the Blues would have nothing to fear from any official inquiry over Cole.

“The rules of the game are quite clear so we’re just getting on with our business,” he told BBC Radio Four.

Wenger was nevertheless also concerned by the timing of the controversy, overshadowing the build-up to tonight’s game.

“The timing is not welcome before a big game. I find that coincidence just a little bit troublesome,” he concluded.

Arsenal should at least have few problems in focusing on tonight’s game, given their desire to avenge last October’s defeat at Old Trafford.

They also cannot afford another defeat, with Wenger admitting that losing this evening’s game would spell the end of either club’s title hopes, especially if Chelsea win at Blackburn tomorrow night.

“I would say spontaneously that the losers would be out of the title race - and if Chelsea win at Blackburn, then they would definitely be out of it,” he admitted.

Wenger is able to recall Cole, Dennis Bergkamp, Lauren, Robert Pires and Manuel Almunia to the side tonight, although Kolo Toure is still suspended, so Pascal Cygan will continue to deputise.

With Edu’s move to Valencia having broken down, the Brazilian will also now be considered until the end of the season, when his contract runs out.

“He told me that, if he had to stay because nobody really came in for him at the level we expected, he would be completely committed,” concluded Wenger.