LONDON: Arsene Wenger returns to Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium this weekend for the first time since he was forced to endure one of the lowest points of his 20-year reign as Arsenal manager.
The visit in December 2014 ended with Wenger and his players forced to run a gauntlet of angry Arsenal fans as they boarded a train back to London following a 3-2 defeat that left the Gunners in sixth place, 13 points adrift of leaders Chelsea.
Those critical voices had largely been silenced by last May after a dramatic improvement during the second half of the season that was capped by the FA Cup triumph.
Wenger believes the challenge posed by Mark Hughes’ side will be equal to the one they faced at Anfield.
“It is a similar test to Liverpool where on our side we need the same intensity again four days later and the same desire and focus again,” he said. “What we have learnt in this Premier League? You think ‘How many surprises we have seen today? That will not happen again’. The week after it happened again, and again and again, since the start of the season.” — AFP