Wenger: Don´t question my loyalty

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has slammed critics who have questioned his loyalty and said he plans to play Samir Nasri against Liverpool.

Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein urged fans to get behind Wenger during the week or risk losing him, with the Gunners’ boss reacting angrily to allegations his heart lay elsewhere with an impassioned plea.

“I will prove my loyalty to you one day and what I’ve turned down to stay here and you may be surprised. So you can question my decisions, but not my loyalty to this club,” Wenger said.

And with Samir Nasri seemingly close to an agreement with English Premier League rival Manchester City, Wenger sprung a surprise by revealing he had no hesitation in playing the midfielder against Liverpool on Saturday.

“The only thing I can say is that Nasri is in the squad tomorrow and available to be picked and to play,” he said.

“One thing I don’t question is the commitment of Samir Nasri for this club. The transfer; we are professional people and that can happen. Every day since he has arrived here and everyday in pre-season he has worked with a fantastic spirit in training.”

And if the Arsenal boss did not have enough to worry about, he also faces a UEFA charge over allegations he communicated with the Arsenal bench during their Champions League tie with Udinese while serving a touchline ban.

“It is a big surprise, but we are completely open to any enquiry from UEFA. We have nothing to hide and I don’t think we have done anything wrong,” he said.

“It is a little bit (frustrating), we don’t really know what a manager’s ban is. I did not communicate with the bench. I watched the game from the director’s box and it was quite enjoyable, so if they want to make an enquiry we have nothing against that.”