Wenger: Playing Everton is more intimidating than Liverpool

Jan 15 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has delivered another blow to beleaguered Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez by admitting that playing at Merseyside rivals Everton is now a more intimidating prospect than running out at Anfield.

And Wenger also revealed he considered re-signing Nicolas Anelka, the former Arsenal and Liverpool striker who moved from Bolton to Chelsea last week in a £15million deal.

Both subjects were raised at the official launch of Setanta Sports-backed “Arsenal TV,” a new television channel which will show six hours of Arsenal-related programmes every night of the week including all first-team matches, and was kicked off by “Arsenal Question Time” hosted by Des Lynam.

Wenger was asked what ground he most likes or hates visiting for a match and admitted that the atmosphere at Goodison Park is now more intense than at Anfield.

He said: “Liverpool is the same kind of support but Everton is a bit more aggressive because Everton is up at the moment.

“Over the last one or two years, especially, it has been one of the noisiest grounds and has a great atmosphere.

“Liverpool is the same but now a little bit more genteel,” he added.

Ironically, Arsenal won 4-1 at Everton just before Christmas having drawn 1-1 at Liverpool earlier in the season, but the Frenchman’s remarks will possibly hit home at Anfield where Benitez has been at odds with the club’s American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Wenger, criticised in some quarters for fielding too many foreign players, also revealed that “80%” of the club’s youth team players at Under-14 and Under-16 level are British, but that he would continue signing top players “without worrying what country they come from.”

And he admitted that Anelka, who left Arsenal for Real Madrid in a bitter, £23.5million transfer just two years after being signed as a £500,000-teenager from Paris St Germain, almost came back in the summer.

Wenger added: “It might have happened. I think he felt he wanted to put something right, but it didn’t work out.

“I don’t know if I would have wanted to sign him again.

“ You always get the feeling you should let somebody go who has left but there was some consideration, yes.”