Arsenal manager Wenger hails team's mental toughness after Birmingham battle
Arsenal manageru00a0Wenger hails team's mental toughness after Birmingham battle
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| Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor blocks Samir Nasri's (centre) shot on goal during their EPL clash with Arsenal at St Andrews in Birmingham, England on Saturday. PIC/Getty Images |
Arsene Wen'ger rarely manages to leave St Andrew's in good humour but Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Birmingham City has put him in the mood for more success against fellow title contenders Manchester City on Wednesday.
After Arsenal defeated champions Chelsea at the start of the holiday fixture programme, Gunners manager Wenger insisted his side could no longer be bullied out of the title race.
The Londoners justified their French boss's words by winning away to relegation-threatened Birmingham on Saturday.
The win at Birmingham saw Arsenal stay in third place, two points behind both leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand over the Gunners, and second-placed Manchester City.
Big game
"We will concentrate on (Manchester) City now," said Wenger. "It is a very big game and we know that.
We have had a difficult schedule with away games, but now we are back at the Emirates. "We know how important the Emirates can be for us. We are happy playing there and we know that we have great support. It is good for us that we play all our rivals there in the second half of the season."
Wenger was elated by the way Arsenal coped with Birmingham's aggression while sticking to their passing game in a match featuring goals from Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri and Roger Johnson's own-goal.
"I am delighted with the victory. It was physically very tough but we had the mental strength to deal with it," said Wenger.
"We also kept very calm, which was good and we kept the faith in the way we can play. That is why I am very proud of my team. They showed great nerve.
Getting Stronger
"We kept putting the ball down and passing and playing our game. It was a great performance and the team is getting stronger and stronger."
Wenger refused to comment on the stamp by Lee Bowyer on Bacary Sagna, but the Birmingham midfielder faces disciplinary action if referee Peter Walton is asked for his revised opinion on the flashpoint in the second half.
"There were a couple of challenges that I would like to see again, but I would rather talk about the way we played," Wenger said.
