WENGER UPBEAT DESPITE SETBACK

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal are still only one win away from Champions League qualification despite the late setback against AZ Alkmaar.

The Gunners appeared to be cruising when leading through Cesc Fabregas's well-worked opener but David Mendes Da Silva flashed home a volley in injury time to earn a 1-1 draw for the Dutch side.

Arsenal felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Carlos Vela went tumbling inside the box and they had several chances to wrap up the three points.

Yet manager Wenger, who turns 60 this week, was remaining positive afterwards.

"We are still in a strong position," he said.

"We have three games left, two at home, and I believe to win one game will qualify us.

"What I want is for us to continue to play like we do, focus to play better.

"In football, you have to produce the maximum result with your game, and, against AZ, that did not happen."

"You know that in the last five minutes of a Champions League match, anything can happen.

"They have thrown everything forward and felt they could only score on a set-piece, and that is what happened.

"It is frustrating because we looked closer to scoring a second than conceding, but credit to them, they did fight well and went until the last minute."

As regards the Vela incident, Wenger feels a spot-kick should have been awarded.

"To me, it looked like a penalty, but I would have to watch it again," the Frenchman added.

"The referee was even closer than I was."

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