Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger defended Wojciech Szczesny after victory over FA Cup semifinal opponents Reading.

Reading drew level on 54 minutes when Garath McCleary's volley was deflected past Szczesny, who could only palm the ball back over the line.

"I would have to see it again," he said.

"At first I thought it was not in because it took some time for the referee to give the goal, so I thought 'okay, we escaped'.

"But on slow motion maybe he goes back a bit to save the ball with his feet, then when the ball bounces, it was certainly over the line.

"We will have to analyse it, but the cross should not have come in and after the guy was free, so it was a combination of mistakes."