Wenger salutes strikers as Arsenal maintain revival

EPL RESULTS SUMMARY (Wednesday March 4)
Man City 2-1 Leicester City
West Ham 0-1 Chelsea
Newcastle 0-1 Man United
Liverpool 2-0 Burnley
Stoke 2-0 Everton
Tottenham 3-2 Swansea
QPR 1-2 Arsenal
Arsene Wenger praised the mental strength of his forwards after Arsenal saw off QPR to make the ideal start to a demanding schedule of five matches in 17 days.

A 2-1 victory at Loftus Road on Wednesday left Arsenal’s manager relieved, with his side’s position in the Premier League’s top four cemented before they focus on overturning a 3-1 deficit in Monaco in two weeks’ time in the Champions League last 16 second leg.

Olivier Giroud missed chances in Arsenal’s home defeat to Monaco which would have given the tie a different complexion at its halfway stage had he taken them.

And Alexis Sanchez had been on a run of seven matches without a goal, but both he and Giroud scored within five second-half minutes to clinch Arsenal’s seventh victory in eight matches, as they maintained their push to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition for an 18th consecutive season.

If they are do so, Giroud and Sanchez will have to fire and Wenger believes this was evidence that they are capable of coming through testing times, in light of recent criticism.

“We were all down after the Monaco game and we responded well against Everton and again today. I think the confidence that we got against Everton paid today,” Wenger said.

“He’s strong mentally, Olivier. He can take some criticism and he’s shown that but I feel it was a bit harsh for him. OK, he missed some chances but that can happen.”