City 3 Arsenal 0: Post Match Reaction

After City made it 10 goals thumped past Arsenal in just over a year at Eastlands, the two managers had their say as The Blues closed in our rag revenge mission...

Arsene Wenger embarrasingly refused to shake Mark Hughes' hand at the end of the game having watched his side cautioned for fouls on six different occasions:

'I'm free to shake hands with whom I want after the game. I have nothing more to say about that...I had no professional courtesy.'

A hilarious turn of events for Arsenal to swallow after all the moralising about sportsmanship we've endured from Gooners following FourTwogate. Bordering on the toe curlingly childish, Arsehole Whinger bitterly went on:

'To play in the quarter-final of the Champions League or the semi-final or final is ten times more difficult than to win the Carling Cup.'

City boss Sparky was in defiant mood amid cheering reaction around the stadium to news of City drawing Taggart and co in the semis:

'It's a fantastic draw. We are excited by it and the wider world will be as well, I think. We are going to enjoy it. Over two games we'd back ourselves against anyone and will try to get to a Wembley final that this club hasn't had for a long time. There has been a little bit of negativity in recent weeks but I think that has been alleviated this evening. It has been a frustration for everyone but we've played 17 games and only been beaten in one. You can't deny we are going in the right direction now.'

Of Whinger, who he waved sarcastically at as the fuming Arsenal coach stropped down the tunnel:

'Maybe he's used to winning games and when he does lose sometimes he doesn't know how to behave. At one point I was over on his side of the technical area and he seemed to be a bit aggrieved by that. But I think he is probably more aggrieved because he got beaten. I have been to the Emirates Stadium and been beaten 6-2 but I still offered my my hand at the end...
I am a little bit disappointed in that respect. You should be a bit more gracious than that because it is unnecessary. We all hurt when we get beaten, but you should always offer your hand.'

You begin to wonder what it is about Frenchmen with Arsenal connections and hands this season!

Meanwhile, a buzzing City squad will assemble at Carrington today raring to welcome a Chelsea management team and the odd senior player who were still in Blackburn gone midnight last night.

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