Arsene Wenger came out fighting ahead of Wednesday’s huge Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at the Emirates against Chelsea.

In an unexpected twist during an eventful press conference the long-serving Frenchman blasted the media, saying journalists “celebrate teams who haven’t been in a final for 25 years and kill us.”

With the Gunners lifting three FA Cups in four years Wenger claimed his team are judged by different standards to bitter rivals Spurs as he insisted the media ‘celebrate’ clubs that fail to win silverware.

A frustrated Wenger blasted journalists who “celebrate some teams who have not been in a final for 25 years and yet you kill us even though we have won the FA Cup three times in the last four years.

“It’s like that, we have to live with that.”

Wenger has often been annoyed at the positive coverage his rival manager in N17, Mauriccio Pochettino, has been given, despite the Argentine never having won a trophy for the White Hart Lane outfit, with the club only lifting a single League Cup this century.

Clearly irked, as witnessed first-hand by this correspondent, Wenger went further, admitting he thought that even if he lifted the Caraboa Cup by winning against Chelsea and then Manchester City – who beat Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Tuesday evening in the other semi-final – it would still not be enough to lift the ‘negative’ mood of the majority of Arsenal fans who would like him to leave the club.

He pondered derisively would a possible League Cup win change attitudes, asking: “To change the mood? I have no illusions at all. The mood is decided by you (the press).”

When it was mentioned to him Arsenal fans were becoming frustrated even during Saturday’s comprehensive 4-1 win over Crystal Palace, Wenger said accusingly: “He [the negative fan] gets your ear. That’s the best example. Out of 100, even if ten have a negative mood, the ten get your ear more than the 90.

“Look, we have been in a few finals. Has it changed your mood? No.”

However he also is desperate to beat Chelsea on Wednesday. He added: “It’s an important game and we want to go to the final.

“We have an opportunity to do it at home against Chelsea.”

Danny Welbeck misses the must-win match with a groin problem while Aaron Ramsey also misses out.