Arsene Wenger feeling comfortable at fortress Emirates as he waves goodbye to last season’s fans’ protests
AT long last, it is safe for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to enjoy a few home comforts.
The Frenchman, 68, has seen off the hate mob who made his life misery earlier this year.
He faced almost weekly protests from angry fans demanding an end to a reign which began in 1996.
He even went so far as to blame the toxic atmosphere for Arsenal’s failure to win their first league title since 2004, claiming at the end of last season:
“The environment for this group of players was absolutely horrendous.
“Away from home, we are championship winners. But we lost the title in a very difficult climate at home against the lower teams.”
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But Wenger has reached an uneasy truce with his detractors, helped by a run of 12 successive Premier League wins at the Emirates.
Now victory over Manchester United and bitter rival Jose Mourinho on Saturday would seal Wenger’s conviction that there is no place like home.
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Wenger believes the change is down to his decision to play with three centre-backs after the disastrous 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in April.
His team has conceded just five Premier League goals at the Emirates since then, maintaining nine clean sheets in that 12-match winning run.
Wenger said: “The atmosphere is linked with our confidence, plus the fact we have been more stable defensively and a bit more patient in our game.
“The mood in the stadium is always a consequence of your results and the way you play.
“We always try to play good football but when the results are not what people expect, of course they get nervy.
“We are a team who puts many players in front of the ball when we attack so we are vulnerable on the counter.
“But the fact we now play with three centre-backs helps us to be caught less on the break.”
Not since 2005 at Highbury have Arsenal won 13 home league games in a row. And Wenger knows his team will need all their defensive strength if they are going to see off United to equal that club record.
He said: “United look to be a strong team and they have a lot of power up front with Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.
“Mourinho has had time to put his print on the team and they are strong on the counter-attack.
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“They have just scored four goals at Watford, so our defensive performance will certainly be important. We must be well organised when we don’t have the ball against them — because if you look at their players they can be dangerous everywhere.”
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Arsenal are currently four points behind United but 12 adrift of runaway leaders Manchester City.
Asked whether everyone is already playing for second place, Wenger (left) said: “We have to keep trying — but at the moment City are too far away.
“They were lucky a few times this season, we can only focus on our own results and not worry too much about City.”