Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has slated Mark Hughes after snubbing the Manchester City manager's hand-shake after their Carling Cup defeat this week.

Arsenal's manager was slammed by Manchester City boss Sparky for being ungracious after the Londoners were beaten 3-0 in Wednesday's Carling Cup quarter-final clash at Eastlands.

But the Frenchman, whose side face Stoke today, said: "I will shake hands when people behave properly. I have my freedom and my views.

"In my opinion he was not in a very strong position to go public about this."

Wenger concedes he is a terrible loser but remains angry with comments made by Hughes following a first-half touchline spat.

Hughes was left waving goodbye as Wenger stormed off down the tunnel at the finish.

Wenger added: "Against Stoke, I make my 500th game and I believe I have shaken hands 497 times.

"Despite shaking hands being a courtesy, a ceremony, the most important thing is not the ceremony. It is the courtesy of behaviour. I knew at half-time on Wednesday what I would do at the end.

"I don't deny I'm a bad loser but, on this occasion, I would have done exactly the same had we won or lost.

"I don't want to make a fuss. I have had many incidents on the touchline but you never heard me say something about another manager afterwards."