• Nigeria international filmed out in early hours before Forest defeat • Arsène Wenger: It is impossible to go out 48 hours before a game

Arsène Wenger has said he will fine Alex Iwobi if the Arsenal midfielder is confirmed to have been partying in the early hours of Saturday morning, just a day and a half before their 4-2 FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest.

A video purports to have shown Iwobi dancing at 2.37am during a party in Soho. It is against Arsenal’s policy to allow nights out so close to a match and, should the images be verified, Wenger will be angered further by the fact that Iwobi was among many players to disappoint in a performance he strongly criticised.

“If that is true, he will be fined,” Wenger said. “It is impossible to go out 48 hours before a game. It’s unacceptable. I will have to see him to see if that is right or not.

“It was not the night before the game, it was 48 hours before the game. The night before the game we were in a hotel but it is not acceptable and I will have to speak to him. First of all you have to be cautious with the news coming out, when you read what is reported it is like he has taken drugs. He is not involved in that at all, he has been out at a birthday party. How long has he stayed? That is important. After, I will decide what happens.”

Wenger left open the possibility the social event may have had an impact on Iwobi’s display at the City Ground but admitted there were no guarantees either way. “Who knows that?” he said. “You must have played football, you know sometimes you want to prepare 100% but sometimes it is not a guarantee you will be at your best. But that is what is requested from a top-level professional.”

The Arsenal manager was openly critical of his players after Sunday’s game and went further on Tuesday morning, saying he had been “very disappointed with some individual performances”.

Alexis Sánchez was among those to sit the FA Cup defeat out but Wenger revealed he is in contention to face Chelsea in Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge. Reports have suggested Sánchez has agreed a deal to join Manchester City, with any transfer before the summer dependent on the clubs. Wenger said Arsenal have had no contact from City and that he had “nothing to add” regarding their stance on his future.

The door appears open for Arsenal’s interest in the West Brom defender Jonny Evans to reach a more satisfactory conclusion. Although Wenger again stressed there was “nothing to say” on the matter he did not deny that the clubs were in contact, while admitting it would be difficult to compete with a rival bid from Manchester City in financial terms.

“It would only be philosophical to talk about it,” he said. “As long as we don’t have any agreement with anybody, I believe the best is not to talk.

“I don’t know if Man City is in for anybody. I don’t know what their policy is. Financially, if the decision comes to finances with Manchester City, we know we will be second best. That is well known.”

One piece of business that appears close is the departure of Francis Coquelin, described by Wenger as a “possibility”. He denied any contact with West Ham for the midfielder, but Valencia are considered front runners for his signature.