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Arsene Wenger not keen on watching Arsenal's clash with Chelsea from Stamford Bridge stands

Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger awaits kick off in the English Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthor
Image: Arsene Wenger will serve the second game of his three-match touchline ban at Stamford Bridge

Arsene Wenger ended up sitting next to his gardener at Chelsea last season, but insists all is not rosy when it comes to watching from the stands.

Wenger will serve the second of a three-match touchline ban when Arsenal face Chelsea in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals, live on Sky Sports Football HD.

It is an experience Wenger is not unfamiliar with at Stamford Bridge. He watched on from the stands there as part of another suspension in February last year, and bumped into an unusual spectator.

"I sat next to a guy who says: 'hello, how are you?' I said: 'good afternoon.' He said: 'I am your gardener'," Wenger explained.

"I didn't even know him. He was an Arsenal fan, who went to the game at Chelsea."

Arsene Wenger speaks with referee Mike Dean during the Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at the The Hawthorns
Image: Wenger was also fined £40,000 for post-match remarks made to referee Mike Dean in 1-1 draw at West Brom

Wenger will be able to communicate remotely with assistant manager Steve Bould and first-team coach Jens Lehmann on Wednesday, but the lay-out of Chelsea's ground makes it awkward to reach the changing rooms.

"I will try to find a different place," Wenger said.

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"It was not a pleasant experience (last season). At Chelsea, you have to go on the other side to go in the directors' box so by the time you get around the stadium, it's 10 minutes played."

Live Carabao Cup

Wenger was made to feel uncomfortable on Sunday too as Arsenal bowed out of the FA Cup third round to mid-table Championship side Nottingham Forest.

With Arsenal's chances of winning a trophy now realistically reduced to two competitions - the Carabao Cup and Europa League - the importance of the game against Chelsea would appear to have increased.

"We killed an opportunity to win a trophy on Sunday, we have another one on Wednesday and of course it is important," Wenger said.

Ben Bereton (c) scored and produced a superb display in Nottingham Forest's 4-2 FA Cup win over holders Arsenal
Image: Holders Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup after a 4-2 defeat at Nottingham Forest

"But as well you have to say I've won the FA Cup seven times and on top of that people are always scandalised.

"Nobody has won the FA Cup more than I did, but still it is (seen as) an absolute disaster. Get somebody to win it more, and then I say OK, well done."

Arsenal snatched a frantic draw at home to Chelsea in the Premier League only last week, with Wenger left incensed by a penalty won, and converted, by Eden Hazard.

Bellerin fouls Hazard for penalty
Image: Chelsea were awarded a penalty when Arsenal's Hector Bellerin fouled Eden Hazard in the box

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte described Wenger as an "old coach" whose way is to complain about referees, but Wenger would not be swayed on Hazard.

"Am I an old coach? Yes. He's not a young coach, he's an old coach as well," Wenger said with a smile.

"You see how Hazard goes down and you see how quickly he takes the penalty when he gets the penalty. If he was so injured why did he take the penalty?

"I do not blame Hazard. He acted in a very professional way basically to get the penalty for his team."

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