Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is furious with mouthy Nicklas Bendtner - despite the great Dane hitting the winner against Bolton on Saturday.

Wenger was steaming after learning Bendtner gave Bolton the Gunners team three hours before kick-off on Saturday.

It is believed the striker spilled the beans to Bolton ace Fabrice Muamba, an old pal from the youth ranks.

An Arsenal insider told The Sun: “One of Bolton’s staff told Arsene after the game they knew their team well before the team sheets were handed in.

“When Arsene asked how that was possible the Bolton coach replied Bendtner told them.

“Goodness knows the trouble Nicklas would have been in if he hadn’t scored the winning goal.”

The Sun has claimed that Bolton knew Arsenal's starting line-up before Saturday's fixture, which the Gunners won 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Bendtner.

It is alleged that Bendtner told Fabrice Muamba, a former team-mate from the Arsenal youth ranks, details of Arsene Wenger's side.

Bendtner's father has insisted there is no truth in the rumours and has criticised the English press.

"I can't even comment upon this. It is completely brain dead," Thomas Bendtner told Danish TV2.

"No footballer could in his wildest imagination do something like this.

"This is talk for the devil. This is the English in a nutshell. This is the way they are, and something we have to react to with laughter."

Thomas Bendtner believes the story may have stemmed from an innocent comment his son made about wanting to score against Bolton.

He explained: "It could be that he has passed on that information. That he said, 'I am going to score against Bolton'.

"That's the story and situation in this case."

Arsene Wenger is a wily owl.

Everyone had thought that going for Arshavin would have been futile with Manchester City’s petrol dollars bound to snatch him away once the bidding war was underway.

But it seems that Wenger must have known something otherwise he would not have gone in with an opening bid for the player. As you may remember we first reported on this site a £12m bid by Arsenal.

Whatever the amount eventually is agreed, Arshavin seems to have made his mind up. He wants to play for Arsenal:

"In some games last season, Zenit played football which was very similar to that of Arsenal" he said.

He even revealed what shirt number he would prefer to wear should he join Wenger's team.

“I would prefer my present Number 10 but in the team where I hope to move it's not vacant.

"So I'm ready for any number they are going to offer me."

The sad thing for Arshavin of course is that Zenit want the highest transfer fee they can get asking for as high as £20m.

Well, we can reveal that there has been a rift between Arshavin and his club with him pressing them to come to an agreed fee with Arsenal so that he can get his wish to play for them.

He has, it is reported, got a fellow football player to call the Zenit coach d*** Advokaat and let him know that Andrei would be 'opting out' of games until the Zenit hierarchy agrees to let him leave!

It seems that the only way that Arsenal would get to sign him would be for the player to really want to come to the Emirates.

If Arshavin carries out his threat then this may well force Zenit’s hand in the matter.