Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hints back four is here to stay after back-to-back clean sheets

Arsene Wenger has hinted his return to a back four could be more than a dalliance and prove to be Arsenal’s main formation for the coming games.

Wenger made the bold decision to switch to a back three in April – after sticking with four defenders for over 20 years since his arrival in north London – in a bid to halt the tide of goals Arsenal were conceding in the most dismal run of his reign.

Whilst the addition of an extra centre-back brought renewed solidity the Gunners have at times laboured this season in attack, scoring just three goals in their last four league matches.

In two of those – a defeat against Manchester United and draw with Southampton – Wenger opted to ditch the back three he started with and, having experimented with it in the Europa League, has returned to a 4-3-3 for games against West Ham and Newcastle.

Though Arsenal are yet to rediscover their cutting edge in front of goal, 45 shots in those two matches have led to one goal, Wenger believes a four-man defence could be the solution to his side’s struggles at the other end.

“It’s possible, yes,” Wenger told Arsenal Player when asked whether he would continue with the system.

“Especially, I think we were mobile at the back, built the game up well and it gives us one more player to go forward.

“When you don’t score as much as you want, sometimes you look at every single thing and that is why I went for it.”

At the start of the season Wenger had spoken of a desire for his side to be able to switch between a back three and four; he may get the opportunity to prove that when Shkodran Mustafi, who has performed impressively in the middle of a trio, returns from a thigh injury this week.