Arsene Wenger says John Terry was fortunate to escape harsher sanction for a "violent tackle" on Cesc Fabregas during his side's victory over Chelsea last weekend, with the Arsenal manager denying Emmanuel Eboue had then sought retribution with the challenge that has put the England captain out of the game for up to two months.
Terry was critical of Eboue in his club programme notes in midweek, claiming the Ivorian had "left his studs in there and it should have been a sending-off" for the tackle that broke three bones in the centre-half's right foot. Eboue was booked for the foul, though Wenger, while stating he regrets Terry's injury, said yesterday the defender was fortunate still to have been involved at all following his earlier foul on Fabregas.
"The referee has not seen exactly the violence of [ Terry's] tackle, so he got away with it," said Wenger. "Good luck to him. But that doesn't mean that Eboue wanted to injure him or tried to 'do' him. I have watched that tackle again and it is not obvious. I don't think he wanted to 'do' John Terry. He has touched him and I am really sorry that John Terry is injured but I think he should have been [ sent] off already for that tackle on Fabregas.
"I don't think Emmanuel wanted to get him injured. Ideally, he should not even have put his foot in there. We do not encourage players to do that but, when you look again at the violence of the tackle from Terry before . . . I want my players to behave well and we do not want to injure people and I am sorry that John got injured."
Eboue was later stretchered off, though Wenger expects him to be fit to feature in the potentially explosive north London derby this lunchtime. Tottenham Hotspur have not won at Arsenal since May 1993 - they have been victorious only once against Wenger's Gunners in 26 attempts, and that back in 1999 - though the hosts will be wary of the renewed threat they pose under Juande Ramos today.
The Spaniard saw his Sevilla side dismantled at the Emirates earlier this season but he has steadily instilled steel and confidence in this Spurs set-up. Wenger has seen 12 managerial changes at Tottenham since his arrival in English football back in 1996, though he is adamant Ramos could yet prove his most daunting opponent. "He has the experience and they look like they have plenty of resources," he said. "He has, at least, the possibility to do it.
"They already had a very good team because, in the last two years, they finished fifth in the league. Don't forget that. Martin Jol just paid the price for having a bad start. But if you finish twice in the league fifth in the table, you already have a good team and Ramos, of course, has the pedigree as a coach to do a good job there. They have certainly gained confidence. . . the fact that they have got a new manager looks to have relieved a little bit of pressure on the players."
Theo Walcott will miss the game against Tottenham. Walcott has been struggling with a knee injury and will not be available for another week.
While Manchester United have suffered from the fall-out of their Christmas party last week, Wenger's youthful squad's get-together was limited to sipping lemonade with the Junior Gunners. "We've played every three days, so we haven't had time for a Christmas party. I think the lads drank lemonade. That's what the Junior Gunners drink."
