Arsenal's stomach for a fight will be put to the test in Saturday's Premiership confrontation with Middlesbrough.
Arsene Wenger's men may have passed the half-way point of the season with their unbeaten league record intact.
But that has not been enough to prevent Manchester United opening up a three-point gap at the top of the table with the kind of run which has a habit of shredding the morale of teams bidding to knock them off their throne.
Eight straight wins have ensured that Sir Alex Ferguson's champions have exploited every little slip by Arsenal and -- to even greater effect -- Chelsea.
For Arsenal however, the pressure generated by their rivals' relentless form is exacerbated by the painful memory of last season's title race, a nine-point advantage just after the turn of the year ultimately proving insufficient to prevent Ferguson's men from romping away at the finish.
With that in mind, Wenger could be forgiven a twinge of unease after seeing his side outmuscled by Everton in the 1-1 draw at Goodison Park in midweek.
The Frenchman was not about to accept that the breathing space United have established at the top amounts to a significant psychological hurdle for his players to clear.
"It is a long way to go unbeaten and what the boys have done so far is magnificent," Wenger said. "If we keep going and United do better, congratulations to them."
Everton's equalizer on Wednesday was created by Francis Jeffers, the Arsenal striker currently on loan to his former club. The rules governing loan deals mean Wenger could have prevented him playing but insisted the thought never crossed his mind.
"I am completely against that rule because I think it is immoral," the Frenchman said. "If you take it to its extent, it means the rich can give to the poor but they cannot be allowed to harm us. I think it needs to be changed."
With Manchester United not in action until Sunday's visit of Newcastle to Old Trafford, Arsenal can close the three-point gap with victory, although they would have to win by at least four goals to actually knock United off their perch.
Given the parsimonious record of the visiting defense, that looks unlikely and Wenger will be wary of the threat posed by teenage winger Stewart Downing, the architect of Boro's midweek win over Fulham.
Liverpool are hopeful Michael Owen will be ready to return to first team action for Aston Villa's visit to Anfield.
The England striker, whose absence has been sorely felt as Liverpool have struggled to find any sustained form this season, was on the bench for the first time in six weeks during Wednesday's 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The injury jinx that seems to be dogging Gerard Houllier's squad has not disappeared altogether however. The Liverpool manager has been obliged to begin a desperate search for an experienced goalkeeper after Jerzy Dudek joined Chris Kirkland on the club's list of walking wounded.
If, as seems likely, Dudek fails to recover from his groin injury in time for Saturday, Houllier may be forced to start with Patrice Luzi, the young French goalkeeper who only made his debut as a substitute in the closing stages of Wednesday's win.
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