Arsene Wenger revealed Manuel Almunia was left hurt by his blunder in Arsenal's last Barclays Premier League outing at West Brom - but refused to confirm whether he would now axe the Spanish goalkeeper in favour of veteran Jens Lehmann.

Almunia, 33, was thrust back into the first team following a finger injury to Wojciech Szczesny in the Nou Camp, which saw the young Pole join Lukasz Fabianski on the sidelines and would lead to Lehmann answering Wenger's SOS to come out of retirement at 41.

However, despite performing well in what turned out to be a 3-1 defeat against Barcelona which ended Arsenal's Champions League ambitions for another season, Almunia then left himself open to criticism after a terrible mix-up with stand-in centre-back Sebastien Squillaci at The Hawthorns which allowed the relegation-battlers to take a 2-0 lead.

While the Gunners eventually fought back to salvage a draw, it has again put focus on who will be between the posts when domestic action resumes against Blackburn at Emirates Stadium on April 2.

Arsenal now trail Manchester United by five points, albeit with a match in hand ahead of their May 1 showdown, and as such would be champions if they win all of the remaining nine fixtures.

However, Wenger knows there can no longer be any margin for error as he prepares to take the tough decisions necessary to ensure a season which promised so much does not again fail to deliver.

"What can you say? The player knows it was the wrong decision," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online. "In big games, it hurts because that was a massive game for us and it hurts him of course."

On whether he would now make a change, Wenger stressed: "I do not want to make a public debate of that. I believe for every game you consider three days before the game who will play in the next match."

England manager Fabio Capello was full of praise for Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere as he described him the best young player in the world.

Ahead of Saturday’s game against Wales, the Italian explained that the 19-year could be in the starting line-up as he is good, plays without fear and has the right confidence. The former AC Milan, Juventus, AS Roma and Real Madrid manager also praised the leadership of the midfielder, incredible for such a young man.

On whether the Arsenal man is the future of English football, Capello explained that he might as well be the present as well as the two games against Barcelona demonstrated in the Champions League, games in which the Englishman was simply superb.

On Wilshere, Capello said:

Yes, yes [he will play for England], because he is good, because he plays without fear, and with confidence.

Also for someone so young, he is a leader. It is incredible. I never saw someone so young be a leader on the pitch. It is incredible.

Wilshere, after the game against Barcelona, he has arrived. He has arrived. You can understand the value of that sort of performance. As a young player, I think he is at the top, not only in England but Europe and the world.