Angry Jens: I could have saved Arsenal

Jens Lehmann today launched a furious attack on Arsene Wenger and claimed he could have prevented Arsenal from going out of the Champions League.

The 38-year-old goalkeeper spoke of his anger at being consigned to the bench for Tuesday's defeat by Liverpool and blamed the Arsenal manager for the result.

Lehmann said: "For me personally it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent it. I have had such thoughts [about being able to prevent defeats] ever since the coach took me out of the team following the 0-0 draw against Milan.

"I told [Wenger] he needed experienced players in his team for such important games. He did not share my view and I do not think he has been successful - the results speak against his choices.

"I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these [chances] and that makes me very angry."

Lehmann turned down the chance to move to Borussia Dortmund during the winter break and pledged he would fight to regain his place in the Arsenal team.

He also castigated Spaniard Manuel Almunia, his replacement, in an interview with German magazine Kicker.

He added: "To be sitting on the bench behind somebody who only started to play when he was 30 is not funny. I am very angry.

"If the coach had spoken to me before the start of the season then I would have been able to decide if I wanted to sit on the bench. He has a different opinion and I don't really believe he can be happy with it."