Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hit out at criticism of his club’s transfer policy after he once again came under pressure from supporters to spend money on new players.
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Asked further about the fans’ anger, Wenger said he was not, “surprised by anything anymore”.
That potential deal does not appear likely to be completed before Saturday’s trip to Leicester.
He also disputed a report that Thierry Henry’s believes that Arsenal is no longer first choice for players.
Talking about Arsenal’s recruitment, Henry told Sky Sports: “Does the player want to come to Arsenal?”.
“The club has 600 staff and we have a responsibility to them”. So are we still the first choice in England? But, low on confidence and possibly missing Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil, I don’t think they have enough to win this one.
“But on the flanks he uses a lot of energy by chasing back and I would like to use his energy sometimes a bit more efficiently by going behind the defenders as he is a good finisher”. He’s [Henry] one of them. “I believe it is not hard to attract players”.
Mahrez had Leicester’s best chance in the run of play in stoppage time, displaying the dazzling moves that helped him earn PFA Player of the Year last season, but he was denied on his right-angled effort by Cech.
“Maybe I will take a gamble on bringing them back early but I have 48 hours to decide that”, said Wenger.
“I think we deserved a little more, but it’s OK”, he said.
“We have a few strikers who have a chance, if we find the right players we buy”.
“Buying calms the fans of course but we have to make sure we spend it the right way”.
“I don’t feel that, no”, he said.
But referee Mark Clattenburg felt Koscielny had played the ball and his view seemed to be supported by TV evidence in that the incident wasn’t clear enough to give a spot kick.
Laurent Koscielny made a return to the Gunners line-up, while Granit Xhaka made his first start since joining in the off-season.
Leicester City have all to prove that their Premier League win last season was not a one-off victory and that they are well equipped to put in a good title defence.
“The challenge for them is to do well again and to show that their a year ago was not a one off”, he said.
The game could have gone either way late on with both teams setting up risky attacks.
“We kept less possession, but we know this”.
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“They kept more possession, they were very unsafe but not with a clear chance”.
