- Arsenal captain Robin van Persie insists there's no rift with manager Arsene Wenger.
Van Persie was seen on camera disagreeing with Wenger's decision to substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain during defeat to Manchester United.
But he insists that was not a sign of dissent aimed at his manager and admits he had not realised the player was carrying an injury.
"The manager and I are fine and my relationship with the club is good," says Van Persie.
"There is no problem, there is no conflict, there is no controversy."
Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie says he accepts Arsene Wenger's decision to change Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Andrey Arshavin during defeat to Manchester United.
Van Persie was caught on camera being critical of the substitution.
"When Arsene makes a decision, it is based on a lot of information that everyone else might not know about and he will never betray.
"I admire him so much for that. As he said after the game, he doesn't have to explain his substitutions to anyone. He was right to remind everyone that he has been in the job 30 years and made 50,000 substitutions — why on earth should he have to justify each and every one of them?
"He has all the information, he knows when a player is carrying a small injury, or has been ill, or is tiring. Arsene's remarkable success in the game is proof enough that his decisions are made from knowledge and experience.
"Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had a calf injury. We did not know that but the boss did and brought Andrey Arshavin on. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Arsene Wenger.
"He is one of the best football coaches in the world, with a brilliant record of success here at Arsenal."
- Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain admits they must snap their losing run.
With Arsenal now five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted stopping the rot was "crucial".
"You know we've got to win every game and approach every game in the same way," he said.
"We know what task lies ahead of us and we're going to keep fighting.
"We've got belief in the dressing room and the manager believes, the boys believe and we know we've got the quality that it takes.
"So we're just going to keep working hard and try and correct our mistakes and that's all we can do."
- Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny insists they'll bounce back from recent defeats.
Arsenal are now five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Szczesny said: "You know, we've been there before and we've reacted very well.
"I think we'll do the same thing again and make sure that this club goes in the right direction and we finish the season where we should."
- Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is confident things will improve when their first-choice fullbacks return.
Arsenal have struggled with injuries in the full-back positions and Szczesny admitted the return of Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs would be a huge boost.
He said: "They're very important players for us.
"If you can have them back in the team as soon as possible, it will give us a lot of confidence and hopefully it will help us to get the results that this club deserves."
- Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith says Arsene Wenger has lost is knack in the transfer market.
Smith feels the Emirates boss should have continued his pursuit of new Chelsea signing Gary Cahill.
He said: “With the Cahill thing, we don’t know exactly how it happened but we do know Arsenal made a bid which Bolton rejected, so why not go a bit higher, pay the asking price and get the player?
“Now he’s gone to Chelsea and he’s a good signing for them, and he would have been a good one for Arsenal, and better than Per Mertesacker, in my opinion.
“Cahill knows the league, he’s an England player and he could be an England player for the next few years and would have had a good re-sale value even at 30. Sometimes Wenger thinks clubs are asking too much and that he wouldn’t get a return. It’s almost like it’s his money and he’s careful how he spends it.
“Then there is the wages of course, and Arsenal don’t pay £150,000 a week, but Cahill wouldn’t have wanted that and I think they could have got him.”
- Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has hit out at doubts over manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger has been hammered since defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
"He's done a magnificent job over the 15 years and he's still doing it now," Szczesny said.
"So I don't think his position at this club should ever be questioned."
- Wolves' on-loan Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong has avoided serious injury after his clash withAston Villa's Stiliyan Petrov.
The 20-year-old midfielder, on loan at Wolves from Arsenal, was carried off during Saturday’s 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa after getting an accidental kick in the face.
Frimpong was taken straight to hospital and had more tests on Sunday.
But he has now been told to rest for a few days before seeing the specialist again on Thursday.
He then hopes to be given the all-clear to resume training.
- Arsenal and Sevilla are being linked with Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.
Morata has been watched by Gunners chief scout Steve Rowley for the Castilla this season.
Morata has scored 22 goals in 45 appearances for Madrid's second string and scouts have tracked his progress for over a year now.
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