Eduardo is now public enemy number 1
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DIVE STORM ... Asenal star Eduardo win a controversial penalty against Celtic is expected to get the boos wherever he goes this season
ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has backed controversial striker Eduardo to beat the Premier League's boo-boys.
The Croatian hitman was jeered by sections of the Wembley crowd during last night's World Cup qualifier, when England secured a place in South Africa following a resounding 5-1 victory.
Eduardo is facing a two-match European ban — which Arsenal are appealing — after UEFA ruled the Brazil-born forward had "deceived the referee" when he was awarded a dubious spot-kick during the Champions League qualifier against Celtic.
Wenger has already branded the saga as a "witch-hunt", maintaining Eduardo has been unfairly singled out. But the Gunners boss feels the 26-year-old has been through much worse, having spent the best part of a year on the sidelines following a broken leg.
Wenger said: "Any situation you face as a top-level player you have to deal with, and you can only do that by being mentally strong. "The situation has been created by the media impact of his case, but that is not the worst.
"The worst thing is that now he is not given penalties when they are penalties. That is much worse.
"The one last night against England was a penalty." But Wenger insists the unwanted attention will not affect Eduardo's style of play. He added: "I do not believe it will affect his game.
"He is a player who has gone through much more difficult things than that. "On the one side, a good way to deal with that is that he is in good health. "This is a minor event compared to what he has gone through before."