Taylor has since received death threats and hate mail for the challenge, but Wenger refused to accept that his initial reaction had contributed to the public response.

He said: "I am responsible for what I say but I came out and retracted what I said. I didn't want to go overboard. I take that responsibility.

"But people who make death threats have to feel responsible for what they do. It is idiotic and not accepted but I do not want to be responsible for that."