FA Cup: Mourinho is embarrassing for Chelsea, says Wenger
AT EMIRATES STADIUM
ARSENAL 2 vs LIVERPOOL 1
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger last night labelled the recent jibes fired his way by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as “silly” and “disrespectful”, after watching the Gunners battle their way into the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Goals either side of half-time from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski proved enough to get past Liverpool, who threatened a late equaliser but could not add to Steven Gerrard’s penalty on the hour mark. Fellow Merseysiders Everton will visit the Emirates in the next round.
“I do not want to go into that silly, disrespectful remark,” Wenger said, when asked about Mourinho’s comments.
“I’m embarrassed for him, honestly. I didn’t speak about him at all in my press conference, and I have not more to say. All I know is it is more embarrassing for Chelsea than for me.”
Arsenal lifted the cup in 2005, and have not won a major trophy since – a point mocked by Mourinho last week when he branded Wenger “a specialist in failure”.
The Portuguese’s taunt was in response to Wenger saying that managers sometimes play down their team’s chances of winning the Premier League due to a “fear of failure”. Mourinho has repeatedly insisted that Chelsea should not be considered serious title contenders.
Arsenal’s bid to return to silverware-winning ways was threatened early on yesterday as Daniel Sturridge twice got in behind their back line. However, Sturridge’s first effort was saved by Lukasz Fabianski, while a minute later he round the goalkeeper yet put his shot into the side-netting.
The home side remained composed and went ahead shortly after the quarter-hour mark. Yaya Sanogo chested down Mesut Ozil’s cross and swivelled to shoot. His effort hit Gerrard yet rebounded straight to Oxlade-Chamberlain, who side-footed in.
Luis Suarez forced good saves from Fabianski either side of the break, yet just a minute after the latter Arsenal extended their lead. Ozil played Oxlade-Chamberlain in on the right wing, and his pulled-back cross was turned low into the near post by Podolski.
Yet Podolski’s work at the other end of pitch was less impressive, as on 58 minutes he made contact with Suarez just inside the box. Gerrard stepped up and buried the resulting penalty low into the bottom left corner, sending Fabianski the wrong way.
Shortly afterwards Liverpool felt they should have had another penalty when Oxlade-Chamberlain challenged Suarez in the area, yet nothing was given.