Arsene Wenger claims Arsenal celebration selfies are a show of 'happiness' rather than arrogance but calls for calm

Manager Arsene Wenger understands why the Arsenal players feel the need to post celebration 'selfies' after a big win, but wants everyone in their dressing room to keep grounded.

The Gunners head to Brighton for Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie on the back of a battling 2-0 win at Manchester City, which looks to have kick-started their Barclays Premier League campaign.

Afterwards, midfielder Aaron Ramsey posted a picture of himself and victorious team-mates Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Olivier Giroud and Per Mertesacker at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal players posted selfies regularly on social media last season including against Manchester City

Aaron Ramsey shared this image on social media after Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez also took a selfie with Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Flamini and Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez also took a selfie with Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Flamini and Oxlade-Chamberlain

It is a trend which sits uneasy with some, such as former England internationals Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes, whom have both criticised the players for posting such pictures on the back of one match, as if they had just won a major trophy.


While not wanting to slap a ban on such actions from his players, Wenger would rather keep a sense of perspective.

'I don't think it was a demonstration of arrogance. It was a demonstration of happiness,' said the Arsenal boss.

'It is okay to express yourself, you don't have to control it. I don't think it was disrespectful.

'The team was questioned on their capability to win an away game, they did it, they had a right to be happy.

'You want this game to remain human, but don't worry, they know they haven't won the league.'

Santi Cazorla (right) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain take a selfie following the Gunners' Community Shield win

Santi Cazorla (right) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain take a selfie following the Gunners' Community Shield win

Wenger added: 'I am personally not a big fan of all social media.

'I think you want to share happiness with your team-mates, but this generation have a different way to express it and I respect that - as long as it is respectful.

'There are limits because the other day I saw (Roma striker Francesco) Totti doing the same thing during a game after scoring a goal, honestly, that is too far.'

Wenger believes his side deserve all of the plaudits for the way they battled to victory over Manchester City, having come up short so many times against the leading Premier League sides, but again called for a sense of realism.

Wenger claims Roma captain Totti's decision to take a selfie after scoring against rivals Lazio was 'too far' 

Wenger claims Roma captain Totti's decision to take a selfie after scoring against rivals Lazio was 'too far' 

Arsenal manager Wenger, pictured during training on Saturday, admits he is not a fan of all social media

Arsenal manager Wenger, pictured during training on Saturday, admits he is not a fan of all social media

He added: 'We have to live with the fact that today football is very popular, everything is analysed, sometimes it goes overboard, but we have to ourselves stay at the right level and take a distance and put things into the right perspective.'

Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott are both expected to feature at Brighton as they look to sharpen their match fitness.

Wenger is hopeful he will soon have England midfielder Jack Wilshere in contention again following ankle surgery. 

'If he has no setback instead of being back the end of February, he could be back in mid-February,' Wenger said.

Wenger is hopeful he will soon have Jack Wilshere in contention again following ankle surgery

Wenger is hopeful he will soon have Jack Wilshere in contention again following ankle surgery

Brighton have looked to regroup following the appointment of new manager Chris Hughton, who was sacked as Norwich plummeted towards relegation from the Premier League last season.

Frenchman Wenger, the longest serving boss in the top flight, feels the job of a British manager is now perhaps tougher than ever.

'When I came here, I had more to fight against the fact that there was a pre-conceived idea that a foreign manager can never be successful in England. Today maybe it has gone too much the other way,' he said.

'It is true that you have many English managers at the moment who maybe do not get a chance, but there are only 20 (Premier League) clubs.

'But now there is a good way to come up, which is take charge of a team at the level under and to do a good job in the Championship.'