• Premier League

'Wenger will die with Arsenal' - Pires

ESPNsoccernet staff
November 25, 2011
Arsene Wenger has guided Arsenal back towards the top four of the Premier League table © Getty Images
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Former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires has no doubts that manager Arsene Wenger will stay with the club, despite recent speculation over his long-term future.

Wenger has been at the Arsenal helm for 15 years and suffered some of the worst criticism of his tenure to date after their dismal start to the season. However, Pires cannot conceive of Arsenal sacking him, while he believes that Wenger would never leave of his own accord as he loves the club too much.

Pires told The Telegraph: "I think he will die with Arsenal. He is the same as Ferguson at Manchester United or Guy Roux at Auxerre. He will stay with Arsenal, that is my opinion, because Arsenal need him and he needs Arsenal. C'est l'amour [It's his love]."

Arsenal have recovered from a start that included an 8-2 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford and have been boosted by the goals of Robin van Persie, and Pires believes that it is something that every club goes through.

He added: "It has calmed down now and things are more relaxed for Arsene. In August he lost three important players for the club in [Samir] Nasri, [Gael] Clichy and [Cesc] Fabregas and I think that was a shock for Wenger. And for the fans too, of course.

"Every club in England has a period of crisis. At the beginning it was Arsenal and now it is Chelsea. I remember the day after Man United had lost 6-1 to City when everyone was saying United were finished. That is football, especially when you play for the big teams."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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