Alex's blast at Wenger

Alex Manninger today insisted Arsene Wenger will be forced to admit he's made a mistake with his goalkeeping policy.

Arsenal manager Wenger announced this week that 38-year-old David Seaman was staying on for another year but Manninger said he will prove Wenger has made the wrong decision by letting him go to Espanyol.

The 25-year-old Austrian also accused Wenger of showing a lack of "trust" in his abilities.

Manninger, who is still waiting for the final transfer documents to be posted by Arsenal after a season on loan at Fiorentina, told Standard Sport: "Let's be straight. David has opted to stay which means he will be the automatic first choice for Arsene.

"That will make it obvious that I was right to go but I thought this was my club, my city and that I would become Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper.

"Coach Bob Wilson and Arsene know I'm a good goalkeeper but they will see me doing my job here in Spain, they will see how well I play and I know they will have to turn to each other and admit they made a mistake."

Manninger, who made 64 appearances for Arsenal after being signed by Wenger for £500,000 from Graz AK in June 1997, added: "If I am honest it still really hurts to think about having had to leave.

"There came a stage where I realised that I had had a couple of slices of the big cake, particularly when we won the Double in 1998, but my hand was slapped and I had to drop the cake again.