Wenger: I feel no sympathy for Liverpool after they sold Suarez and Sterling
ByReuters
Updated 24/08/2015 at 14:41 GMT
Arsene Wenger says he feels no sympathy for Liverpool who sold forwards Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez over the past two summers - especially after the Uruguayan ended up at Barcelona, not with Arsenal.
Arsenal welcome the Merseyside club on Monday for a high-profile fixture at the Emirates Stadium and the Reds' rejection of the Gunners' offer of £40 million plus one pound for Suarez still seems to rankle with Wenger.
"Liverpool can make their own decisions. They refused to sell us Suarez so I cannot feel too much sympathy for them," the 65-year-old Frenchman said.
Liverpool scored more than 100 goals in the 2013-14 season, largely thanks to Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Sterling.
However, with two of the prolific trio having left the club and a third out injured, Wenger acknowledged the challenge his counterpart Brendan Rodgers faces.
"Let's remember two years ago with Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling they scored over a hundred goals. To score more than 100 goals in the Premier League, you need special quality to do that," Wenger said.
"Sterling was part of that. I personally rate Raheem Sterling. We will see that in the longer term. He's a quality player.
"But they bought (Roberto) Firmino. We will see what he will produce. He is a similar player," he added.
Liverpool have brought in £32.5 million man Christian Benteke to ease the goal-scoring burden on the team but Wenger is confident of keeping him quiet.
"We played a cup final against Benteke and we managed to deal with it. Then again, every game is a new challenge and we have to show that we can do it," Wenger said.
"We have dealt with him in a positive way before."
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