AW "I can understand that the fans are upset about the substitution, especially when it doesn't work, but he (The Ox) had started to fatigue, He was sick in the week & Arshavin is captain of Russia! Spending money is not the target; to buy good players is the target!” RVP as confused as fans about Sub! OX “It’s the boss’ decision & I respect that!” Koscielny talks! Neville “Arshavin should just GO NOW!”

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger lost it with jeering fans after defeat to Manchester United.

Wenger reacted furiously to the Arsenal fans who criticised him for taking off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the second half of Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

"I can understand that the fans are upset about the substitution, especially when it doesn't work, but he (Oxlade-Chamberlain) had started to fatigue," Wenger said.

"He was sick in the week. Arshavin is captain of the Russia national team.

"You have an 18-year-old kid making his first Premier League start and a player who's captain of his country and they are querying the substitution? Let's be serious.

"I've been a manager for 30 years and have made 50,000 subs. I do not have to justify every decision I make. I stand up for it."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger refuses to be pressured into buying players in the remaining days of the winter market.

Manchester United exposed Arsenal's deficiencies at fullback for yesterday's win.

But Wenger insisted: "Spending the money is not the target, to buy good players is the target. We need our players back. People are not conscious that we miss 10 players. When you see what we created in the second half without [those injured] players, it is important to get the players back."

• Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie lost his rag with manager Arsene Wenger during defeat toManchester United yesterday.

Van Persie showed his disgust at Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s decision to substitute Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain as Manchester United snatched a crucial victory at the Emirates.

Wenger was also on the receiving end of a torrent of abuse from his own fans after deciding to introduce Andrey Arshavin in place of the England Under 21 international.

Sky cameras captured Van Persie apparently mouthing the word ‘No’ and swearing at his manager’s 74th-minute substitution.

Russia forward Arshavin was roundly booed and Wenger was the target of chants from irate supporters also furious with his decision.

Wenger’s move then backfired as Arshavin was partly at fault for Danny Welbeck’s late winner, which pulled United back to within three points of Manchester City at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain insists Arsenal can draw positives from their defeat to Manchester United.

Arsenal fans were disappointed to see the summer signing from Southampton substituted in the 74th minute.

But the England Under-21 international respects his manager’s decision to take him off, insisting they have to trust Arsene Wenger’s instinct.

“It’s the boss’ decision at the end of the day,” said Oxlade-Chamberlain. “He is the boss and he’s a top quality manager, you’ve seen how many years he’s been at Arsenal and all the great decisions he’s made, so whatever the decision is I will respect him.

“It’s always nice when the fans are on your side, you’ve just got to keep going out there each week and try to please them and do as well as you can for the team and the manager.”

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits defeat to Manchester United was a major blow to their top four hopes.

Wenger's men now sit five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, and with a difficult fixture list ahead seem to be in real danger of missing out on a top-four position - a scenario which the 62-year-old described as a "disaster" on Friday.

"It leaves us in a very difficult position. It's a game we couldn't afford to lose," Wenger said.

• Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny is pleased with his personal form this season.

Koscielny admits that adjusting to English football can be difficult but he is pleased with how he has performed over the course of the season so far.

“I think I’ve learned at the very top,” he said.

“This is the most difficult championship for a defender - there are a lot of strikers with different styles so it took me a year to learn and now I think I’m better.

“I know my team-mates, my club and the opposition sides, and feel stronger than before.”

• Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny says their injury woes are no excuse for back-to-back defeats.

The Gunners were undone 2-1 at home by Manchester United yesterday.

Koscielny admits the injury problems afflicting the squad are problematic, but he insists Arsenalshould not blame them for poor results.

“We’ve lost a lot of players and haven’t had any real full-backs fit, so it has certainly been difficult,” he said.

“They’re important to us at both ends of the pitch, but several players have come in and they’ve given all they have. Regardless of that, we know we can do much better defensively.

“It’s not just about the back four - we need to defend together, as a team, and that makes the defenders’ jobs easier too. It also helps our attackers if we win the ball in the opposition half, so we need to work hard in all areas.”

• Manchester United legend Gary Neville slammed Andrey Arshavin after Arsenal's defeat yesterday.

The second-half substitute was at fault for United's winner.

And Sky pundit Neville launched a scathing attack on Arshavin, saying: "He doesn’t like our weather. He doesn’t like our women. I think he wants to go back to Russia. Well, go back."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger blames rival clubs for the hike in season ticket prices.

Wenger was asked why Arsenal charge so much for season tickets when they do not spend in the transfer market.

"No, what is unfair in fact is that the pressure on our wages is higher, because the other clubs who do not look at the way they manage pay huge wages, and for us just to keep our players we are pushed to the limit with our wages, just to keep the players happy," said Wenger.

"Because some clubs have unlimited resources. That's why the financial fair play is needed. It's not only for the clubs to manage well, they can pay £10m per month if they want. But it is a fact that the pressure they put on the smaller clubs, who have less resources, is not sustainable."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger doesn't believe Theo Walcott's form will be affected by new contract talks.

The England winger, 22, has only a year left on his current deal but new talks have reached a stalemate.

Gunners boss Wenger said: “No, the contract hasn’t been a distraction.

“He did have a dip over Christmas but he is on the way up.”

• Arsenal fullback Pedro Botelho has joined Levante on-loan for the remainder of the season.

The Brazilian had been playing on-loan with Ray Vallecano.

The 22-year-old Brazilian will head eight spots up Spain’s premier division with the switch to the fourth-placed ‘Granotas’, having made 11 appearances for Rayo so far this term.