Wenger´s tug-of-war over Wilshere

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks set for a showdown with the FA over Jack Wilshere’s inclusion in the England under-21 side.

Midfielder Wilshere, 18, made his debut for the senior England side in August’s friendly against Hungary, and has made 14 English Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season.

The FA’s football development director Sir Trevor Brooking wants Wilshere in Stuart Pearce’s under-21 squad for next summer’s European Championships, but Wenger believes the youngster will be in dire need of a rest at the end of the season.

“What the English FA have to decide is whether the player is in the first team or in the under-21s,” Wenger said.

“I don’t believe a player ever performs when he has been in a top team and comes back down to the under-21s. It is always a bad decision. It’s because you feel you go down.”

“You take any player who plays at Arsenal in the Premier League, put him down to division one, you would be disappointed by him.”

“The boy wants to play and I find that positive but playing now with the first team until June and then playing in the Under-21s, that will not work.”

“If he has played over 40 games at 18 years of age – and he will – then he needs a rest.”