Arsenal manager explains why midfielder played against Chelsea

Iwobi played the whole 90 minutes as Arsenal held Chelsea to a goalless draw in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.

The Nigeria international was a surprise addition to the starting XI following revelations that he partied a night before the FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, January 7.

Wenger, however, insists that he started the player because he could help the team.

“It is one thing to punish someone individually and the second thing to punish everybody,” Wenger said after the game.

“If I think he can help the team to win it has nothing to do with the fact that he can be punished separately and individually.”

Fine for Iwobi

Iwobi was caught partying into the early morning of Saturday, January 6 before the game against Forest.

The 21-year-old played the entire 90 minutes of the game and struggled all through.

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Wenger branded his behaviour ‘unacceptable' and revealed that the player will be fined.

“It was not the night before the game. It was 48 hours. But it’s not acceptable, I will speak to him about it. If that is true he will be fined," Wenger said.

Arsenal’s next game is a Premier League clash away at Bournemouth on Sunday, January 14.