Arsenal

Arsene Wenger: 'Job uncertainty not affecting Arsenal players'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 31 March 2017

Arsene Wenger admits that it has "not been a good season" for Arsenal, but insists that his players will continue battling no matter what the decision over his future.

Arsene Wenger has insisted that he is still fully committed to Arsenal regardless of how much longer he remains at the club, as the uncertainty over his future continues to grow.

The Frenchman is currently enduring arguably the toughest few months in his two-decade tenure after seeing the Gunners crash out of the Champions League in embarrassing circumstances and drop out of the Premier League's top four.

Wenger has constantly batted away questions regarding his future beyond the end of the season, when his latest two-year deal is due to expire, but he claims that it is not having a negative affect on his players as they all want what is best for the side.

"Whether I stay two years or 10 years I have exactly the same commitment and the same desire to win the next game," he told Sky Sports News. "I believe we are in a position where we do not have to find easy excuses. Our job is to perform. Can you perform despite that? To be professional is to perform on the football pitch and not look for excuses that are not really problems off the pitch.

"The worst you accuse me of, having done 20 years at the club, is creating instability. If I have created anything it is stability. The situation is not sorted out and I believe it's important we focus on what is essential. You know my attachment to this club and at the moment it is as it is and I do not see any escape route to have less responsibility because of that. You have to be men and focus on what matters and what is our job.

"It's not been a good season. It's not gone in the way we expected but it can still be an acceptable season. Do we respond well? We still have a good chance to finish in the top four and we are in the semi-final of the FA Cup. It's never good enough if you do not win every single game in the season but we cannot go the way people want us to go."

Arsenal, with four defeats in their last five Premier League outings, return to action on Sunday with a home meeting against Manchester City.