Wenger: Act now over coin throwers

Arsene Wenger today added his voice to the campaign to eliminate the growing menace of coin throwing from football.

The Arsenal manager watched Jamie Carragher get sent off at Highbury on Sunday after he threw one of several coins that were aimed at him back into the crowd.

The Liverpool defender faces a three-match ban, the possibility of further censure from the Football Association, and criminal charges have not been ruled out.

But Wenger wants the authorities to act against fans who throw coins. He said: "The first time I saw coin throwing was at Cardiff and now it seems to have spread. If action is not taken, it will be difficult to take a corner at an away ground.

"Carragher should not have reacted the way he did and he knows that. I would like to see the stewards at the ground tell the police if they see coins being thrown and when the people who did it are caught, then they should be banned from football."

Meanwhile, at Ewood Park tonight, Arsenal will face a Blackburn side galvanised by the presence of £7.5 million Andy Cole, whom, Wenger says, "has often given us a hard time".

Wenger believes Cole's arrival from Manchester United has given Matt Jansen the perfect strike partner and playing for a new club will give him a chance to push his England World Cup claims.

"It will help him," said Wenger who will check on the fitness of Patrick Vieira (ankle), Sol Campbell (stomach upset) and Robert Pires (back) before naming his line-up.