LEEDS – Arsene Wenger is hoping Arsenal can recover from recent back to back cup shocks and overcome Championship highflyers Leeds United in Wednesday’s FA Cup third round replay.
It took a late penalty from Cesc Fabregas to deny the former Premier League giants a shock win in the first meeting of the two clubs at the Emirates Stadium and salvage Arsenal’s hopes of advancing in the competition. And that disappointing display was followed by an even more underwhelming performance in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final with Ipswich when the struggling second-tier team clinched a single goal victory. Wenger expects his team to progress in both competitions but any complacency the Premier League title challengers may have had at facing lower league opposition has been emphatically swept away.
Leeds performed exceptionally well on their trip to north London and, in front of a fervent home crowd at Elland Road, Wenger knows his team face a testing evening against the side currently lying fifth in the Championship. Arsenal will head to Yorkshire with renewed confidence, however, following the comfortable 3-0 victory over West Ham United which prompted Wenger to once again declare his intent to challenge on all fronts, including the league and Champions League.
“Our success depends on the way the whole squad can focus on the different competitions,” he told Arsenal TV online. “I believe we have the quality to qualify no matter what I do on Wednesday. It’s just how much we are able to focus on the competition.
“The timing is not the best but it is down to us because we could have beaten Leeds at home. We didn’t manage to do that but now there’s no reason why we should give up. “I will prepare for this game to win it then we will see. It is important we go there with a positive attitude.”
