Arsenal lack cojones - Troy Deeney hits back at Arsene Wenger

London, October 15: Watford captain Troy Deeney hits back at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, saying that the penalty wasn't the reason for Gunners loss and said the North London club lack the "cojones" to be a proper Premier League force.

Wenger blamed a "controversial" penalty decision as one of the reasons his team lost their way and slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Watford on Saturday (October 14).

Deeney reverted by stating that it was the visitors' lack of fight that allowed his side to claim all three points and climb over Wenger's team in the Premier League table.

"I've heard Wenger's already blaming [the penalty] as the reason for why they lost," Deeney told BT Sport. "Well, I'm not going to be one to tell Mr Wenger about himself, but there's a reason that they lost and it wasn't because of one penalty.

"I have to watch what I say, but it's [having] a bit of cojones, is what I'll say. Whenever I play against Arsenal, I'll go up and think 'let me whack the first one and see who wants it.'

"I came on today and jumped up with [Per] Mertesacker - I didn't even have to jump, actually - I nodded it down, the crowd gets up: 'Yeah we've got somebody who can win it,' and they all just backed off.

"For me as a player, I just think 'happy days.' That's my strength - if you're going to let me do my strength against you, you're going to have a tough afternoon.

"I just think personally there's an element of that being an equaliser for me. I know I'm not technically gifted like they are, not as quick, but if you want to fight with me, I'm gonna beat you all day.

"If you want to come into my world and do that, you can do that, but you've got to be at a level where your excellence of keeping the ball, being fast and getting in the right positions are all 10/10 because my equaliser is I'm big, strong, and I do all the ugly stuff you don't wanna do, and I'm going to make it horrible for you."