Wenger Defends Van Persie Omission
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted he will continue to be cautious over Robin van Persie's fitness after the forward almost missed the victory over Stoke on Sunday.
Van Persie has been suffering with tightness in his muscles and after undergoing tests could only be named on the bench for the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.
With the game in the balance after Peter Crouch cancelled out Gervinho's opener, Van Persie came off the bench in the second half and scored twice to earn a 3-1 win.
"I took 19 players the day before the game because I was not sure to involve him on the team sheet," Wenger said.
"He had a check in the morning and was medically all right to be on the bench. You think 15 times before leaving him out, you think 'do I really do it or not'.
"With the number of games he has played and the history he has, you are cautious."
Wenger, who was confident his captain will be fit to face Chelsea next weekend, said his Arsenal side are not a one-man team relying on Van Persie's goals.
"I don't have that feeling at all," the Frenchman said. "When you want to be a team with quality you always have a player, we had Thierry Henry, who comes out and is on the end of things.
"I don't feel that but he has exceptional quality."
But Van Persie's importance to Arsenal is backed up with his nine strikes this season.
For his goals he tucked away crosses from each flank by Gervinho, who opened the scoring when he latched onto Aaron Ramsey's pass.
Crouch equalized when Stoke surprised Arsenal with a set-piece, and Arsenal then struggled to make chances with Marouane Chamakh in attack rather than Van Persie.
"I think Chamakh worked very hard, he's looking for a goal at the moment," Wenger said.
"I'm pleased with his effort but in his mind he knows Van Persie is untouchable unless he plays with him.
"It's difficult to play with two strikers and two wingers. Unless I change the system it will be him or Van Persie."
Stoke manager Tony Pulis refused to blame the club's Europa League campaign for their defeats in the Premier League this season.
"We lost three games this season on the back of Europa games but if you look at the stats it's not far from when we were winning games," he said.
Pulis suggested his side will continue to take cup competitions seriously, and next face Liverpool in the League Cup.
"I don't think our football club will win the Premier League, our biggest aim is staying in the league but we want to do well in the cup competitions," he added.
"Last season galvanized the club. We have a tough game on Wednesday but we'll be trying our hardest."
Meanwhile, Wenger has told Manchester United their heavy defeat to Manchester City could affect them psychologically this season.
"When you have to attack against a good side you are vulnerable," he said. "What we faced was the emotional aspect of a result, it remains in your head and your body."
