Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal are low on confidence after second successive Manchester City defeat

Arsene Wenger admitted Arsenal’s confidence has plummeted, and that they are in a “difficult patch”, citing that as the main reason for their second successive 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

The 68-year-old’s side were again outclassed, as City followed Sunday’s League Cup win with a match that produced the same final score but came in far more straightforward fashion, as the league leaders were three up by half-time.

Of the side’s confidence, Wenger said “you go up by the stairs, you go down by the lift,” referencing how quickly his men have lost their belief. He surprisingly said that this was one of their most physically intense performances of the season, but that was undone by their inability to play with the same freedom as City.

“You go up by the stairs, you go down by the left, that’s confidence, that’s why you have to show you have the level to be at Arsenal football club,” Wenger said.

“I felt it was a game of physically top intensity, I think we produced physically our highest performance of the season, and Man City as well, by quite far, so it was physically two teams gave a lot.

“I knew the first half could be difficult for us, because they come out of Sunday’s game with a real confidence there, they come back with a real positive mind and that’s why they took advantage of every defensive weakness we have shown in the first half.

“At the end of the day, must say we lost against a top-quality team, who is at the moment the best in the country. On top of that, the combination of their quality, and that they are high in confidence, we are low in confidence, played a big part in the game tonight.

“After that, second half we came out, we dominated well first 20 minutes. We needed the penalty to keep going and gain a bit momentum and that was the killer of the game after that.

“When your confidence is not at your best, the first thing that goes is the fluidity, the movement, the spontaneous side of the game and you could see that tonight. We go through a difficult patch at the moment. That’s part of football unfortunately as well.”

Wenger said his side do have the fight to get out of this, especially ahead of a tie that could finish Arsenal’s season, as they take on AC Milan in the Europa League on Thursday.

“Yes, of course, I’m confident of that. Nothing is permanent in life, apart from the judgement, that is always permanent, but the reality in life is nothing is permanent; it’s down to you how you respond, and what kind of focus and effort you show to change things around.

“It [a lack of confidence] is always dangerous, but you lead by putting the effort in, by staying together, at the moment where it’s very difficult, you know… by staying united inside and focus on the next game and continue to put the effort in.”

Of the low crowd at the Emirates, Wenger said: “It was a combination certainly of the weather conditions, certainly, and the fact you had a big disappointment on Sunday, a combination of the two things together.”