Arsène Wenger has denied Troy Deeney’s comments about Arsenal, claiming that the Watford striker’s words aren’t justified.

Deeney previously suggested Arsenal’s players lack ‘cojones’, and thinks that was the reason Watford were able to beat them on Saturday.

Wenger was asked about the comments in his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s game against Red Star Belgrade, and he responded: “You can’t question our character,” reports the Daily Star.

“People try and put us down, they always have. Those comments aren’t justified. Everyone is entitled to talk. We don’t listen to what people say – we try to analyse or own game.

“I love my players and I trust their strength of character to respond quickly. I know who my players really are. In the last seven games we had six wins and one draw. Comments are part of the modern game.”

As Wenger says, the seven games before Watford were a good run of wins and a draw at Stamford Bridge. However, expand the sample to include Watford and the two matches before Bournemouth and you have a run of six wins, one draw and three losses. That’s not such an impressive run, especially given the standard of opposition.

Losing to Liverpool isn’t the biggest shock, drawing with Chelsea away is a decent result, but losing to Watford and Stoke is majorly disappointing, and the teams Arsenal defeated weren’t particularly impressive.

So for now, fans and pundits will continue to question the character of the Arsenal players. The only way to make it stop is to start winning the big games, or at least to put together an impressive winning run against the smaller ones.