• FA Cup

Wenger: No mental block over trophies

Arsene Wenger says the result of the FA Cup final will have no bearing on his future © PA Photos

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Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal do not have a "mental block" as regards to winning trophies, despite acknowledging that the club's nine-year drought does make Saturday's FA Cup final with Hull City more difficult.

The 64-year-old also stated that the result of the match will have no bearing on his future, as he again intimated he will remain at the Emirates despite there being "no change" in his contract situation.

"Mental block, no," Wenger said. "There is a desire to do well, that is for sure."

When asked whether the long spell without silverware makes the final more of a challenge, he stated "a little."

He added: "But, at the end of the day, once you walk over the line you just focus on your football. You don't play with the history; you play with your quality and your desire to play well.

"It is an opportunity and we have to take a distance with time. We need to just turn up and play well.

"I honestly don't feel that there is any danger of complacency. We know the difficulty of the task. If you look at our run in the FA Cup, we had a hard run. We played against Tottenham, against Liverpool, against Everton, Wigan in the semi-final.

"Coventry was maybe a little bit easier, but overall if you look at the run we had it was a very tough one. We have done this job and we want to finish it now."

Wenger denied that the result would influence his future, despite the fact "nothing has changed" with regards to a potential new contract.

The Frenchman reiterated his confidence about staying at the Emirates, saying: "Yes of course. I don't think I have to repeat that in any press conference."

Wenger believes a victory in the final will cap off a strong campaign, saying: "It is an opportunity for us to crown our season, and the overall achievement if you look back on the season will look better when we win it.

"It's all to do, all is in front of us so we just want to focus on Saturday's game and not look too much on how it will look or how it will not look."

Wenger revealed he has not yet decided on his Wembley starting XI, but would have no qualms about playing Bacary Sagna or Lukasz Fabianski despite their futures at the club being uncertain.

"I told you many times that it's exactly the same as last week. The ball is in his camp and I cannot influence that.

"[In terms of playing him, I have no concerns] at all. I told you many times for me a professional is to give your best until the last day of your contract.

"That's for me the real professional. I don't doubt his integrity, his desire to win and his commitment at all."

"I have done that with Samir Nasri, with Robin van Persie, with everyone when I knew they left or had a good chance to leave, I always played them. If they deserve to play, they play.''

Wenger also belives Jack Wilshere will be fit enough to travel to the World Cup for England, answering: "How has he been this week? Good, he works hard.

"We have a hard session today again and he progresses. He played 30 minutes at Norwich, that was planned, he came out well.

"I think if you ask me about the World Cup, he should just have enough time to be fully fit.''

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