Arsenal are facing a seventh straight Champions League last-16 exit after suffering a humbling defeat at the Allianz Arena two weeks ago, with their only hope of reaching the quarter-finals coming in the form of a 4-0 win or better in next week’s second leg.

The prospect of such a victory is hugely unlikely, given Arsenal have repeatedly come off second best when facing Bayern over the last four years, and it led to Koscielny’s admission that the squad have a big problem when it comes to the most important matches.

Wenger does not believe that Koscielny meant to be so damning on his verdict of Arsenal’s issues, and instead claimed that a lack of confidence was what he was trying to convey, given his side had also suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat by Chelsea just a week before the trip to Bayern.

“He wanted to say we lacked a bit confidence [against Bayern],” Wenger said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool.

“When you have a bad result it plays on your mind. We just have to focus on the way that you play. To take the opportunity you have to show your quality.”

With Arsenal on the cusp of European elimination and 13 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea – albeit with a game in hand – many critics have turned on the players rather than Wenger, though the imminent expiration of his contract has also strengthen calls for him to end his 20-year reign at the club.

Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Show all 11 1 /11 Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Joachim Löw Age: 58

Current club: German national team

Honours: Austrian Bundesliga, 2001/02

Fifa World Cup, 2014

Fifa Confederations Cup, 2017 Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Mikel Arteta Age: 35

Current club: Manchester City Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Brendan Rodgers Age: 44

Current club: Celtic

Honours: Championship playoffs

Scottish League Cup

Scottish Premiership Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Leonardo Jardim Age: 42

Current club: Monaco

Honours: Segunda Liga

Superleague Greece

Greek Cup

Ligue 1 Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Patrick Vieira Age: 40

Current club: New York City FC

Honours: None Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Diego Simeone Age: 47

Current club: Atletico Madrid

Honours: Argentine Primera Division x2 (Estudiantes de La Plata and River Plate)

La Liga

Copa del Rey

Spanish Supercup

Europa League

Uefa Super Cup Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Domenico Tedesco Age: 32

Current club: Schalke Bongarts/Getty Images Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Massimiliano Allegri Age: 49

Current club: Juventus

Honours: Serie C1 (Sassuolo)

Serie A x3 (AC Milan, 2x Juventus)

Italian Super Cup x 2 (AC Milan, Juventus)

Coppa Italia x 2 (Juventus) Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Thomas Tuchel Age: 44

Current club: Free agent

Honours: DFB-Pokal Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Luis Enrique Age: 47

Current club: Free agent

Honours: La Liga x2 Copa del Rey x3 Supercopa de Espana Champions League Super Cup Club World Cup Getty Arsenal candidates to replace Arsene Wenger Carlo Ancelotti Age: 58

Current club: Free agent Intertoto Cup (Juventus) Serie A (AC Milan) Coppa Italia (Ac Milan) Supercoppa Italiana (AC Milan) Champions League x3 (AC Milan x2, Real Madrid) Super Cup x2 (AC Milan) Club World Cup (AC Milan) Premier League (Chelsea) FA Cup (Chelsea) Ligue 1 (Paris Saint-Germain) Copa del Rey (Real Madrid) Bundesliga (Bayern Munich) DFL Supercup x2 (Bayern Munich) Bongarts/Getty Images

With the Bayern return less than a week away and a crucial trip to Anfield the Saturday evening kick-off, Wenger needs his players to deliver on their promise and look like the side that at the start of the season were tipped to make much of the title running, rather than the top-four strugglers that they currently resemble.

However, Wenger does not believe that they owe him a performance due to their recent failings, and instead the Frenchman told the squad that they owe it to themselves to show they can live with the likes of Bayern.

“They owe themselves a performance,” he added. “These are quality players. Everything went against us [in Munich].