Football: Clouds gather over Wenger’s future

Arsenal manager defiant despite FA Cup defeat to Sunderland.

SUNDERLAND: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger remained defiant despite facing questions about his future in the wake of his team’s 2-0 defeat at Sunderland in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The club is now heading towards its seventh season without a trophy, but Wenger told his critics, “We will stay united, fight and focus on the next game.  It is important for us to show strength and resilience.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas’ problems mounted after his side laboured to a 1-1 draw with Birmingham.

“It is a poor result of course. We had a better performance in the second half compared to the first half,” said Villas-Boas.

“1-1 is not what we expected, but it gives us another chance at Birmingham as we try to win a trophy.”

Stoke City booked their place in this season’s FA Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win away to fourth-tier Crawley Town.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2012.