Arsene Wenger spoke about using three centre-halves again, in the wake of Sunday’s 2-1 win over Man City at Wembley.

The stand-out performers on the day were the three men at the back, and the two wing-backs either side of them – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Nacho Monreal – and as you’d expect the manager was quizzed about after the game.

Asked if he should have implemented the system sooner, he said, “Well, yes. I like your question, because it shows exactly what our job is.

“No matter what you do, even if you get it right at some stage, people say ‘Why didn’t you do it earlier?’

“It’s like the opposite is right, is wrong as well. If you get your starting line up wrong, you change it at half-time, people say ‘You see, he is a tactical magician!’ because he changed the team at half-time.

“But they forget that we got it wrong at the start! So you can always judge on both ways.

“I think what I did is just to give a bit more security to a team who conceded three goals in the last three away games, at West Brom, at Liverpool, at Crystal Palace and at some stage even to focus on something different for the players recreates some confidence.”

Asked if he thought his decision ‘brave’ at this point of the season, the 67 year old continued, “I don’t know. I’d have to look back.

“During the season I made some tough decisions. We have gone through a difficult period. I don’t know, but it’s my job to try to get it right.

“When it goes well, we are happy.”