• Premier League

Wenger offers way back for Almunia

ESPN staff
January 28, 2011
Manuel Almunia damaged his elbow saving Chris Brunt's penalty in September © PA Photos
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Arsene Wenger has thrown down the gauntlet to Manuel Almunia, challenging the Spaniard to reclaim the Arsenal No. 1 tag.

Almunia, 33, has been plagued by elbow and ankle injuries and has not featured in an Arsenal shirt since the end of September last year.

In his absence, Lukasz Fabianski has not been able to fill the void after picking up a shoulder injury, which has allowed Wojciech Szczesny to show his ability between the posts.

With offers flooding in from clubs in Spain and Turkey for Almunia, Wenger has acted quickly to give him hope of re-establishing himself in the first XI.

"At the moment Wojciech is No. 1," he said. "He has done nothing wrong for me to take him out, but I can rotate the goalkeepers. In the cups I sometimes play different goalkeepers as well.

"He is under contract [Almunia] and as long as he is at the club we are happy to have him. I like him as a man and as a player and I have shown that in my decisions. I am happy that he is here. Almunia has not played for a long, long time. I don't feel that any player is happy not to play."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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