Wenger stands by Cygan

Arsene Wenger today said central defender Pascal Cygan was being used as a "scapegoat".

Cygan, deputising for the injured Sol Campbell, was pilloried this week after scoring Arsenal's own-goal in another unconvincing Champions League display against Panathinaikos in a 1-1 draw at Highbury.

A fierce shot from Loukas Vintra deflected off Cygan's head to beat a stranded Jens Lehmann. But Wenger, who will pick Cygan for tomorrow's clash at Crystal Palace, said: "He played well. People need a scapegoat and on this occasion he is the wrong one.

"I disagree with the negative publicity he has received. I thought he played very well - as he has done when he came in for Sol at the start of the season. He was one of our better players. If he had moved his head away from the ball he would have also been criticised. It was accidental."

And of the performance against the Greek champions, Wenger added: "In the Champions League we are more transparent than I expected us to be because I feel the team puts too much pressure on their shoulders because of this nonsense about 'why you don't win the European Cup'. You can't say we were bad but we were not as creative as we can be.

"You also go through a period when you lose your light-legged look. I felt we looked laboured. And as group, since the defeat at Manchester United we have to cope with more negative vibes around us than before. We have to deal with that."

Meanwhile, Kolo Toure today pledged his long-term future to Arsenal. The 23-year-old central defender from the Ivory Coast signed a four-year contract last season but made it clear that he wants the stay at Arsenal longer.

Toure said: "Will I finish here? Why not. Arsenal will always be a special club for me. They gave me my chance and when I was growing up in the Ivory Coast, they were my best team. Arsenal are in my heart."