Arsene Wenger spoke about his fears for football if fan hostility continues. The subject of fan abuse has been in the spotlight following Harry Redknapp's complaints about Aston Villa supporters' jibes over his arrest.

"I hope this atmosphere is not growing," said the Arsenal boss. "If it goes out of control and becomes like Italy, the sport will be dead, destroyed completely.

"For me, the biggest problem comes before games.

"If I were to say to you now, 'I hope our supporters will viciously attack Ashley Cole because he deserves it', I would be popular, but it would stir a very bad atmosphere for the game."

The Frenchman himself is regularly targeted by opposition fans, but says he made an effort not to make an issue of it.

"Somewhere along the line I decided that it was part of my job to take the abuse I do - because there are always 20 people who are fair for every two who abuse you," Wenger added.