Arsenal fans can lift team in “sensitive” moment after back-to-back defeats, says Arsene Wenger
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for the club’s supporters to rally round the team as they look to bounce back from damaging consecutive Premier League defeats.
The Gunners host relegation-threatened yet resurgent Hull on Saturday lunchtime, eager to reverse their momentum following two losses in the space of five days to Chelsea and Watford.
“This is an important and very sensitive part of the season and we have to respond to disappointment together,” said Wenger, who has midfielder Mohamed Elneny available again after international duty.
Read more: Wenger rues missed chance to close gap on leaders Chelsea
The twin setbacks have all but killed off Arsenal’s title hopes, with runaway leaders now 12 points ahead, and lent further weight to those calling for Wenger to call time on his two decades in charge.
“Our fans have been consistent and have a high level of expectation, as I have as well. But you cannot be a fan until last Tuesday and not not behind the team this Saturday. It doesn’t make sense,” he added.
“We fight with Manchester United, Man City, Liverpool – they have big expectations as well and big histories. We are in a fight there, we absolutely have to be united or we have no chance to do it.
“I want the fans to be behind the team, but at the same time I know the first priority is us and our dynamic inside the team that will create and facilitate the support of our fans.”
Arsenal, for whom right-back Hector Bellerin remains a doubt after suffering a head injury against Chelsea, have scored four goals in their last two meetings with Hull.
Hull sit 18th, just one point off the bottom, but have won four of eight games since the appointment of Marco Silva, whose Olympiacos team shocked Arsenal 3-2 on his last visit to Emirates Stadium in September 2015.