Arsenal ‘are open and are looking’ for reinforcements after subdued start to season

Arsene Wenger admits he will look to bolster his squad before the end of the transfer window, after a muted showing in Saturday's 1-0 own-goal driven win over Newcastle.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger shown on Saturday before his side defeated Newcastle United in the Premier League. Andrew Yates / Reuters / August 29, 2015

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger concedes he is unsure whether he will be able to bring in any more new signings before the end of the transfer window.

With Tuesday’s deadline approaching, Wenger is under mounting pressure to bolster his squad in his efforts to add a 14th English title to the North London club’s collection, 11 years after their most recent.

Wenger is still looking to strengthen, with a new striker a priority for a side that scored only their third goal in six hours of Premier League football this season, and even that was given as a Fabricio Coloccini own goal in the narrow 1-0 victory at Newcastle United on Saturday.

“We are open and we are looking,” said Wenger, who has brought in only goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea since the end of last season.

Wenger has developed a reputation as a manager who is not averse to biding his time to secure a deadline day signing, and he added: “If we find an exceptional player we will do it, but whether we will do it, at this stage I don’t know.”

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Wenger has a number of players dealing with injuries, with Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, Tomas Rosicky and Per Mertesacker all missing from the starting line-up at St James’ Park.

Arsenal maintained their 100 per cent away start to the season ahead of the two-week international break. Their impressive form on the road is in contrast to a return of one point and no goals from their first two home games.

After an eighth successive win over Newcastle, Wenger added: “It was an important win. We know we will turn it round at home, so it was important not to drop points away to ensure we weren’t too far behind the top teams.

“We’ve dropped points at home and that puts you under pressure, but we’ve got six points from two away games which is pleasing.”

An early red card for Newcastle’s Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic for a dangerous challenge on midfielder Francis Coquelin proved pivotal.

With the aid of a deflection off Newcastle skipper Coloccini, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s second-half shot crept in as Arsenal’s pressure finally told.

Wenger felt Steve McClaren’s side were overly physical; the hosts picked up six cautions. “We showed good patience, we needed not to rush things and to wait for our chances to come,” Wenger said.

“Newcastle made the game quite physical and we had to keep our nerve and not become too aggressive in return.

“The crowd put pressure on the referee, but I felt it was a red card. The referee did all right and protected my players as Newcastle wanted to stop us from playing.

“Mitrovic got a bit overboard, but maybe he was a bit unlucky.”

It was a view shared by Wenger’s opposite number, McClaren, whose side remain without a victory after their first four games.

“The red card was harsh,” McClaren said. “It was more clumsy from Mitrovic; he had his eye on the ball and he stood on the other player’s foot.

“For me it was a very harsh red card and Moussa Sissoko only got a yellow card for something similar.

“There were too many yellow cards in the game and the referee made a rod for his own back.

“Our boys are young and innocent. They don’t roll around, they get up and play and maybe we were a victim of that.”

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