Leicester City vs Arsenal: 'Taking a risk on Laurent Koscielny saved us a point,' says Arsene Wenger as fan unrest grows

Leicester City 0 Arsenal 0: The indignant cries of “you don’t know what you’re doing” were there again as the Gunners laboured to a stalemate against the champions in the East Midlands

Arsene Wenger makes his protests known on the side-lines at Leicester (Getty)

Arsene Wenger needs luck to run on his side this season. It’s been another arduous summer for the Frenchman and the indignant cries of “you don’t know what you’re doing” were there again as his Arsenal side laboured to a stalemate with champions Leicester City on Saturday.

Revealing after the match how a “big back problem” almost scuppered his plans to hand a first-team return to Laurent Koscielny, Wenger took an 11th hour punt on the 30-year-old’s fitness – one which could have backfired spectacularly for a manager already fifth-favourite not to see the campaign through.

Koscielny delivered an assured display to help settle Rob Holding, 20, in spite of a second-half blitz by Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez on Petr Cech’s goal but, in truth, either side could have emerged from this break-neck King Power battle with three points. “We looked a different team straight away,” Wenger said, “and considering that he gave us stability against a team that attacks very well, I think he was very important.

“That made a big difference today. I saw that we were a bit too young and I have no real solution at central defence at the moment. In fairness he had a big back problem yesterday so he came out of the training. We came with 19 players and this morning we decided that he could play and I think it saved us this point.”

Wenger’s mood had picked up once the conversation returned to the football. An inquisition had ensued five minutes previously in the King Power Stadium’s media suite. Pressed on the unsavoury chanting at full-time, the 66-year-old snapped back: “Why do you say I’m reluctant [to spend]? I don’t understand that. If I buy a player for £45m, I have done well, if I listen to you, but spending money in itself is not a quality.

“I would spend £300m on a player - if I had £300m. We are a club with 600 employees who we need to have a responsible attitude [towards] as well.”

Claudio Ranieri, meanwhile, grinned his way through another press conference without so much of a grimace when asked if Leicester can repeat their remarkable feat of last season. The champions have just one point from six but the shoots of recovery were there on Saturday.

Vardy is gradually returning to form while Mahrez taunted Nacho Monreal all evening. After a leave of their senses against newly-promoted Hull City last weekend, it was back to basics for Ranieri’s boys against Arsenal.

“Yes, I'm very happy for this reason,” he said. “I watched the same spirit, the same squad, the same shape, the same strength. We played as a team and as a unit. I'm very happy, very proud.” This Thursday, Leicester will discover their opponents for their maiden season in the Champions League when the group stage cast list is drawn in Monaco.

Is the Italian excited to be leading the East Midlands club into another new chapter? “Yes, but for us it’s an experience. Which teams we face is good for us and experience.” Ranieri has been linked with a move for the Dynamo Kyiv and Austria defender Aleksandar Dragovic this weekend and left England on a clandestine trip abroad last night.

The hum of the owner’s helicopter spurting into life could be heard in the distance and he quickly made his exit. “That's a secret, I don’t tell you,” he chuckled on his way out. What Wenger would do for such an excuse to skip his media duties right now.