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The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, praises Danny Welbeck’s mental strength after the forward’s FA Cup winner against former club Manchester United Guardian

Arsène Wenger praises Danny Welbeck after Arsenal down Manchester United

This article is more than 9 years old

Arsène Wenger hailed Danny Welbeck’s mental strength after the forward scored Arsenal’s winner in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford to dump Manchester United, his former club, out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage.

Welbeck was sold by United’s manager, Louis van Gaal, for £16m last summer and on his first return to his boyhood club kept a calm head to finish after 62 minutes. That strike came after Nacho Monreal’s 25th-minute opener had been cancelled out by Wayne Rooney’s header four minutes later.

The result means United appear certain not to win a trophy for a second successive season for the first time in 26 years, with a miserable night for Van Gaal capped by Ángel di María’s sending-off on 67 minutes. The Argentinian received two yellow cards in quick succession from the referee, Michael Oliver, the first for diving and the second for laying a hand on the official while disputing the initial decision.

Van Gaal had claimed Welbeck was only good enough to be a substitute shortly after selling him to Arsenal last year. The player’s current manager was full of praise for him, however, after Welbeck scored the goal which put the FA Cup holders into this year’s semi-finals, where they will face either Bradford City or Reading at Wembley next month.

“We all want to do well when we play against our former club, to show we are great players, but it is not easy to deal with the mental aspect of it,” said Wenger. “He [Welbeck] focused just on his game and played football the way he wanted to. He has showed mental strength.”

Explaining his decision to select Welbeck ahead of Olivier Giroud, the Arsenal manager added: “He has pace. You have as well as psychological consideration and as well I have to rotate a bit without destroying the balance of the team and I felt we had counterattacking chances and he would be ideal for that. He had a great game.”

An unhappy Van Gaal was clear there could be “no excuses” for Di María, who is suspended for Sunday’s match against Tottenham following his dismissal here. “In Spain he knows that he doesn’t touch the referee, but that is also in his emotion,” said the Dutchman of the former Real Madrid forward. “I’ve already spoken with him, he knows my opinion but also I have to see on the video. I think he’s touched the referee and that’s forbidden in every country, so he has no excuses.

Manchester United’s manager, Louis van Gaal, says Ángel Di María knows better than to touch a referee but says it was not easy to control emotions in the FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal Guardian

“You never have to receive a red card if you control your emotions. The ref is the boss on the pitch and not Di Maria – he decides and you have to adapt to the referee and not the other way round.” Van Gaal did seem to infer, however, that he did not agree with the sending-off. “That I cannot give comment and you know why I cannot give comment on that subject,” he added.

The United manager appeared particularly annoyed when asked to defend his decision to sell Welbeck and sign Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan from Monaco. The Colombian has struggled since arriving at Old Trafford and remained an unused substitute here. “Yes. That is always also in football happens. It was also a surprise that Wenger put him [Welbeck] in the lineup in that position,” said Van Gaal. “Also a lot of times against the club who a player was playing for [this happens] because he shall be very motivated.

“But I think we gave that goal particularly. He [Falcao] has scored four goals and [made] three or four assists, and he stimulates also the other players so that is an aspect of a profession.” Addressing his questioner directly, the Dutchman then added: “But it is now easy for you to say that. You are very happy to say that. I see that in your face.”

Pushed that four goals is not a particularly high tally for Falcao, Van Gaal said: “I cannot change that. I cannot change facts and you know that but you can continue.”

Of Welbeck’s strike, which occurred after a mistake from Antonio Valencia, he said: “It is very disappointing when you give the victory. You don’t lose from your opponent, you have lost from yourself. That is the right expression I think and that is very disappointed. The players are very disappointed because you know that it could be different.

“When you see the second goal, it was nothing. We gave it away, so the man who was doing that was the best man of my team and that is also for him so disappointing. He did it not with purpose. It happens.”

United must now regroup in their bid to qualify for the Champions League with the team two points clear in fourth place with 10 matches remaining. “We have to recover, but I cannot say that the motivation of my team was bad,” added Van Gaal. “No, it is always good [motivation, a reverse]. We have showed today a fantastic fighting spirit.”

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