Wenger wants Arsenal response

Manager Arsene Wenger hopes Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to relegation battlers QPR at Loftus Road will “shock” the Gunners into a response against Manchester City.

Arsenal went into yesterday’s encounter on the back of seven straight Barclays Premier League wins which had lifted them up into third place, and given fans hope of perhaps overhauling second-placed City during the closing weeks of the campaign.

However, the Gunners turned in a lacklustre display as QPR won individual battles across the pitch, taking the lead on 22 minutes through Adel Taarabt as the Moroccan slipped marker Thomas Vermaelen on the edge of the penalty area before clipping home his first Premier League goal.

Although Theo Walcott drew the visitors level before the break, firing in after his low strike had cannoned back off the post, the expected second-half recovery failed to materialise.

After Robin van Persie was thwarted by a fine save from QPR keeper Paddy Kenny when he raced clear, Hoops midfielder Samba Diakite crashed in what proved to be the winner on 66 minutes when he was set-up by Jamie Mackie, who jumped over Vermaelen as the unfortunate Belgian slipped on the edge of the area.

The Gunners could be overtaken by Tottenham if they record a handsome win over Swansea later today, and Wenger knows it will take a much improved display to get back to winning ways against City at Emirates Stadium on Easter Sunday.

“It is a good shock to come back to what has made our strength recently,” the Arsenal boss said.

“They left us the ball and waited for our mistakes. We took the ball, did not do a lot with it and made the mistakes. At the end of the day that made the result.

“Each football game is a new start. It is not what you have made before that decides the game, it is what you produce on the day.

“We did not create enough to win.”

Wenger added: “We know how to respond, we have been exposed to this situation this season.

“We have a good opportunity on Sunday, but it will be needed after giving away the points.”

Despite their second successive home win, having come from behind to beat Liverpool with a late rally, Rangers remain in the bottom three as fellow strugglers Bolton overcame bottom club Wolves at Molineux.

However, only goals scored sees Mark Hughes’ men below Blackburn, who host leaders Manchester United on Monday night where defeat would see Rovers drop back under the line.

QPR certainly have a tough run-in, travelling to Old Trafford next weekend, and then set to play Tottenham and Chelsea before the final match of the season away at Manchester City.

And Hughes has called for total focus on the challenge ahead.

“We just have to make sure we take care of our own business and what will be will be,” he said.

“The teams around us will have weekends where they have to come up against opposition like we had here, and we will have to see how they do.

“Our challenge and test is to be able to go up against maybe teams that people think we have a chance against and make sure we come out with positive results.

“We have found that difficult some weeks. The bigger the challenge, the better we seem to be.”

Taarabt certainly rose to the occasion yesterday, as the former Tottenham man saw plenty of possession and was central to QPR’s attacks.

“I was really pleased with him in terms of his discipline,” said Hughes.“

“Adel had to do a job, he had to make sure he helped the team and obviously his goal was excellent, really well taken.

“I am sure he will benefit from that and I am sure he will score from now until the end of the season.”

QPR, meanwhile, will wait until the official referee’s report has been submitted before making any comment on an incident late in the match, when the referee halted play after his assistant on the far side appeared to be struck by an object, believed to be a coin, when Van Persie walked over to take a free-kick in the corner.