Arsenal players victims of cowardly tackles, says Wenger

Arsene Wenger has accused some opposing players of being cowards and deliberately injuring his Arsenal side as he prepares his battered and bruised team for Wednesday's Champions League clash at home to Fenerbahce.

Arsenal have a long injury list and are definitely without striker Emmanuel Adebayor and defenders Emmanuel Eboue and William Gallas for the Group G clash at the Emirates that can seal their place in the last 16.

Winger Theo Walcott is also out after injuring his shoulder in the 2-1 Premier League defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.

That result came in the wake of a 4-4 home draw with bottom side Tottenham Hotspur and raised questions about Arsenal's ability to mix it with some of the more physical teams.

Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen suggested Arsenal lacked the requisite spine to mount a lasting title challenge but Wenger made a vigorous defence of his players on Tuesday.

"When I hear people say that my team are not brave, I tell you that they are brave," coach Wenger told a news conference.

"For me you need more courage to play football when you know that somebody is tackling you from behind without any intention to play the ball, just with one intention to hurt you. I can show you tackles where I can prove what I'm saying."

Asked if he felt opposing players were deliberately injuring his players, Wenger said: "Yes, of course.

"Was (Stoke's Rory) Delap trying to play the ball when he injured Walcott? Did (Ryan) Shawcross try to play the ball when he tackled Adebayor off the pitch?

"The brave one is not the one who tackles from behind the player who tries to play football, they are the coward ones.

"When you question the courage of my team, I'm sorry, the team that tries to play the game respecting the rules is the brave one."

Wenger said he hoped Walcott would be available for the Premier League match at home to Manchester United on Saturday while Gallas, who has a hamstring injury, had an outside chance.

Adebayor faces a longer spell out with an ankle injury, Wenger said.

Victory over Turkish visitors Fenerbahce will give Arsenal 10 points with two group matches remaining, usually a guarantee of progress to the knockout rounds, and Wenger is anxious to get the job done.

"Once we qualify in the Champions League we can focus on the Premier League and have the chance to rest some players," Wenger said. "It's important we qualify as quickly as possible because we had two bad experiences recently."