Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in race to replace injured Kieron Gibbs Arsenal have previously scouted Southampton's Luke Shaw and Everton's Leighton Baines but there is little chance of a rival Premier League club selling one of their best players at this delicate stage of the season. Wenger, who has now conceded defeat in his attempt to sign Barcelona's David Villa, could instead rival Tottenham for Inter Milan's Uruguay full-back Alvaro Pereira. If Arsenal cannot sign a left-back, Wenger may be forced to shift his captain Thomas Vermaelen across the defence rather than risk Santos. Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, praised his team's reaction after the FA Cup humiliation against Oldham on Sunday and, having been so critical of his players, admitted that he should take most of the blame for that result. "Sunday was more my fault than theirs," he said. I'm a great believer in young players, I look at the depth of our squad and put a lot of trust in them. I never had a any ­second thoughts that I would get a reaction. We can go to Manchester City and win at the weekend. Rodgers also admitted that it would now be "difficult" to conclude a deadline-day deal for Blackpool winger Tom Ince. "It looks a bit complicated at this stage and it's about affordability as well as we've only got a certain amount of money," the Liverpool manager said. If Tom stays at Blackpool, it doesn't mean he'll never come to Liverpool. Dennis Bergkamp, meanwhile, will be among the candidates to replace Liam Brady as Arsenal's academy director and head of youth development when the 56-year-old leaves his current job at the end of next season. Brady has held the position since 1996, the same year Wenger became manager, but has told the club of his intention to stand down in May 2014. Having managed Ajax's celebrated under-19 team, Bergkamp has risen to the role of assistant to manager Frank de Boer. Brady's forthcoming departure follows the loss of Pat Rice, Wenger's assistant, last year. Both had been at Arsenal throughout Wenger's tenure, with the Frenchman's contract due to expire in 2014.