Wenger backs Gunners star Bellerin to come good

Arsene Wenger knows right-back Hector Bellerin has not been at his brilliant best for much of the season, but insists the Arsenal star is just suffering a blip in form instead of a long-term decline.

Bellerin was arguably the best right-back in the Premier League at the start of the season but an ankle injury in November hampered his rapid progress.

That, combined with Arsenal’s alarming dip in form, has left fans piling on the pressure, while rumours of Manchester City’s interest will not go away.

Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

But Wenger is not concerned, and expects the 22-year-old to return to his best at the start of next term – regardless of who is in charge at the Emirates Stadium.

“I think (he has been feeling the ankle) for a while. Then you get bad habits and you forget that your job first is to defend and win challenges because you protect yourself a little bit,” he said.

“Then you realise you have to come back and I think now he is trying to focus on again what is important, to defend well and after he can give us that extra bit that is important as well.

“I agree that for a while he was not the Hector Bellerin we had seen at the start of the season.”