• FA Cup

Wenger: 'Team player' Welbeck was ideal choice

Danny Welbeck was the perfect choice to play against his former club, according to Arsene Wenger © Getty Images

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Arsene Wenger hailed Danny Welbeck for showing his mental strength and ability as he marked his first return to Manchester United by scoring the goal to knock them out of the FA Cup.

Welbeck started his career at Old Trafford before being sold to Arsenal for £16 million in the summer transfer window. He took advantage of Antonio Valencia's under-hit back-pass to earn Arsenal their first away win against United since 2006 and secure an FA Cup semi-final date with either Bradford City or Reading.

"We want all to do well when we play against our former club to show we are great players but it is not easy to deal with the mental aspect of it," Wenger said in a news conference.

"He focused just on his game and played football the way he wanted to. He has showed mental strength. He wants to win, he is a team player. He is intelligent. He is a great talent and has done extremely well for the national team as well. He has produced a great performance, defensively and offensively."

Welbeck was selected in preference to Olivier Giroud, who had scored five goals in his previous five games, but Wenger said his speed suited Arsenal's counter-attacking gameplan.

"Because he has pace," he explained. "You have as well a psychological consideration and as well I have to rotate a bit without destroying the balance of the team and I felt we had counter-attacking chances and he would be ideal for that. He had a great game."

Wenger praised Welbeck for his composed finish and felt that, but for United goalkeeper David de Gea, the margin of victory could have been bigger.

"He did well, he kept his calm," he added. "I must say as well De Gea made one or two outstanding saves in the game tonight."

Wenger, whose side won the FA Cup last year, accepts they will be favourites to retain the trophy and praised them for their mentality at a ground where they have struggled in recent years.

"I am pleased above all with the performance and the mental aspect of our game," he said. "It was above all positive."

Wenger told the BBC he was proud of how his side executed their game plan.

"[We wanted] to start without apprehension but we were caught a few times here," he said. "[We tried] to be on the front foot from the start and close them down, play with a high pace and I felt that we did that well."

Arsenal were drawn against Bradford or Reading in the last four and Wenger said: "Last year we played a tricky game at Wembley in the semi-final and you expect that again.

"We have played Bradford before, we know about that but let's enjoy tonight. I feel we played a good game tonight from the start and we deserved to win the game."

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