Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has sympathy for Rafa Benitez in his battle with Liverpool's board.

"Maybe there is an analysis to do about politics in the modern [managerial] game," mused Wenger. "Benitez has done remarkably well and certainly what's happening at Liverpool is not down to the sport or to results, it's down to other, internal differences. Apparently, there are differences. I have always had the support of my board and I think [Sir Alex] Ferguson had that [at Manchester United] as well, and we are the longest-serving managers in the league. There's no secret in it.

"They [the Arsenal board] understand that there is no success without that but, of course, you need a bit of experience to understand that and I'm not sure that everybody just coming and buying [clubs] understands that. The only thing I can say is that I have had the freedom to work since I arrived at Arsenal. I can't remember my board saying 'No' to me."