‘Kanu and Overmars are very upset about it all’

Arsene Wenger says Kanu and Marc Overmars were very upset at the controversy that marred our FA Cup fifth-round clash with Sheffield United.

The two clubs will play the match at Highbury again after we offered the Blades a replay due to the nature of the Dutchman’s winning goal - and Arsene Wenger explained that it was a situation that nobody wanted to arise.

 

“When you are a young boy growing up, you fall in love with the game and you dream of scoring important goals - goals that win total matches, that win you cups and championships,” the Arsenal manager said.

 

“But they have to come about in a fair way and our second goal did not. It was an accident, as both Kanu and Marc Overmars have insisted whenever they have been asked about it. I see them every day and I can assure you they were very upset about it all.

 

“That is why we have the rematch at Highbury. I want Arsenal to be successful, I want Arsenal to win every competition for which the club competes. But the priority is to do it in the right way, within the spirit of football. We want to win by respecting the rules, written or unwritten.”