With hours before the Premier League game, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger argues they acted correctly in order to prize Luis Suarez away from rivals Liverpool though failed.

"It was not the most subtle thing we have done, but it was not meant to be provocative at all. It could be interpreted like that, but it was not our purpose," Wenger said.

Arsenal submitted an offer of 40,000,001 pounds (63.7 million U.S. Dollars) in July. With just one pound more than the price over which Liverpool must inform Suarez about the transfer intention from other clubs, Arsenal's action was supposed "designed" to trigger the Uruguayan striker's contract.

The transfer was rebuffed and Liverpool's American owner John W Henry expressed bemusement over Arsenal's tactics, writing on Twitter: "What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?"

Wenger said: "It was one of the transfers that did not work and in every club you have two or three, but there is no need afterwards to speak about it. Suarez is a professional, he plays there, he is paid by Liverpool, and that is it."

Wenger believed that his side's relationship with Liverpool was not damaged by the affair, saying: "Relations are good. We kept in touch over that period."

Tough Arsenal have been in superb form in the league, however, after losing at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and then falling to Chelsea in the League Cup, questions are being asked about their capacity to go the distance. Endi