Wenger calls for focus

Protests are planned at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with disgruntled Gunners supporters set to air their displeasure at recent performances and a perceived lack of ambition during the winter transfer window.

Fans are set to place black bin liners over empty seats during Arsenal's home date with Blackburn, highlighting the fact that poor showings are forcing many to stay away.

Wenger can also expect to come in for criticism, with a dip in form seeing the Gunners slip five points adrift of the UEFA Champions League places.

The Frenchman is refusing to get dragged into an internal conflict, though, and has called on his players to try and block out the events which are expected to unfold around them this weekend.

Wish

When asked for his reaction to the latest planned protests, Wenger said: "I would not like to make any comment on that, I feel we have to be above that and show our quality on the football pitch and not respond to every individual provocation."

He continued: "I believe we played 15 years on the trot in the Champions League and we play in 10 days in the last 16 of the Champions League.

"We want to come back in the Champions League position in the league, we want to prepare properly for the next round of the FA Cup and I wish that in the next 16 years it will be exactly the same for the club and that the fans will be happy.

"After that, what can I say?

"Ideally I want everybody to be completely happy and over the moon, but we live in a world where you have to accept that not everybody reacts the same."