Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has suggested that he was pleased with aspects of his side's performance in the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final.

Wenger and his side have come in for strong criticism since losing at Wembley Stadium, with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville and Arsenal legend Paul Merson both blasting the North Londoners for their display against City.

However, Wenger has insisted that only the decisive moments in the game went against his team, and the long-serving manager has challenged his side to play with more "freedom".

At a press conference, the Frenchman told reporters: "We are very disappointed after losing an important game. We need to recover from that and prepare for the next challenge together.

"It was a tight game until 2-0. City had three shots on target and we had two. We have to turn the decisive moments into our favour. We played a bit apprehensive and we need to have more freedom."

On Thursday night, the two teams will meet for a second time in the space of a week when the Emirates Stadium hosts a Premier League encounter between the clubs.