Wenger hailes Gael Clichy

Arsene Wenger has hailed Gael Clichy, calling his fellow countryman a ‘top class performer’.

Clichy has been one of the most used Arsenal players this season with 45 appearances in all competitions, and his manager is delighted that his defender’s injury nightmare is over, after the young ace suffered many blows in the previous few seasons.

Wenger has been impressed by his player’s form and solidity, and even expects Clichy to improve a lot in the future.

"I am very positive with Gael because he loves the game and, every day after training, he's out there practising to improve," Wenger said.

"There was a question mark about whether Gael would last the season - but he has played more games than anyone else.

"He had three operations on his metatarsal and he had already undergone hernia surgery, and we were concerned over whether he would be capable to absorb so many games with such a slight frame.

"The big victory for me this year is not that he has played well - I expected him to play well - but that he could absorb a complete season at the top level without any rest.

"There is still more in there.

"When you see the game he produced at Old Trafford, you think 'oh, there's more in the locker, because he takes more responsibility'.

"It was a top-class performance, not only football wise but character - he showed a non acceptance of the defeat when we were down 2-1.

“He was the one who really moved forward.”

"I would like him to play," said Wenger, "But there is Eric Abidal who plays at Barcelona, (Patrice) Evra who is at Manchester United, Clichy at Arsenal - that shows you how rich France is.

"It is the same on the right side, there is (Willy) Sagnol at Bayern Munich and Francois Clerc, at Lyon, then they have (Bacary) Sagna who is here at Arsenal.

"You can go into every position, it is like that with the French team.

"I believe Clichy is very, very close to the national team. I think he should be in the team, for me.

"He should be competing with Evra and Abidal, but France have so many players it's hard to make the selection.

"He is the youngest one, he will be 23 years old this year - and don't forget he was injured for a while.

“But he has hit many people with his performance at Old Trafford."