ARSENAL manager, Arsene Wenger, has rallied support for embattled Nigerian international, Alex Iwobi, who scored an own goal in Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League clash with PSG of France at the Emirates stadium.
Iwobi’s goal ensured PSG escape with a 2-2 draw and it was a miserable night for the youngster who might have entered the books of some Arsenal fans as a villain.
The Super Eagles forward had in an attempt to help his defence, following a corner-kick, headed into his own net and was replaced almost immediately by Granit Xhaka.
Wenger however, told the Gunners website that Iwobi should rather be encouraged to come back stronger in subsequent games.
“Look, it can happen. The frustrating thing I think is that Ospina was behind him. He [Iwobi] is certainly the most disappointed by what happened to him. But that is part of the game. We have to take that on the chin and support him and go back into the next game,” the French tactician said.
Iwobi’s team-mate, Aaron Ramsey also showed support.
“You’ve got to feel for him, but he wasn’t aware of what was behind him,” Ramsey said.
“I feel for him but we’re in it together. It was important not to lose and that’s what we managed to do.”
Meanwhile, Wenger believes Arsenal who are second in group A with a game left against FC Basel could still make it to the knockout stage.
“At the moment we are second – but it’s not over. We have a 90 per cent chance to finish second but we wanted to finish first. But at the moment we have not lost a game in this group, you know. Overall, we have done the job well and will it be enough to finish first?
“I don’t know. Will that be bad or good for us? I think we have to wait for the draw. As you look at all the groups, you cannot really guess is it good or bad. The advantage if you finish first is that you play the second game at home, but for me, what is more disappointing is we wanted to win the game and we didn’t win it. It is disappointing,” he told www.arsenal.com.
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