Arsene Wenger has billed today’s showdown between Arsenal and Manchester United as one of the meetings between England’s big four that will decide this season’s Premier League title battle.
That assertion is backed up by the stats that show United took 13 points out of a possible 18 from their meetings with Liverpool, Chelsea and the Gunners last season — a haul that effectively kept the trophy at Old Trafford.
With Wenger’s Arsenal having lost three times already this season — leaving them six points adrift of leaders Chelsea — they would appear to be the side with most to lose in today’s encounter.
PHOTO: AP
But United’s most seasoned campaigner, Ryan Giggs, believes Arsenal will still be a threat regardless of whether or not United emerge from the Emirates with three points.
“When you look at the quality Arsenal have, I don’t think we can finish off their title hopes on Saturday,” said the Welshman, who effectively booked United’s place in the last 16 of the Champions League with his late equalizer at Celtic on Wednesday.
Giggs recognizes that Arsenal have been hit hard by the combination of injury and suspension that have deprived them of strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie for today’s match, as well as making Theo Walcott a doubtful starter.
But he insisted: “They have got a few players out at the moment — but all four top teams, if they are there or thereabouts, are capable of going on a run. That has always been the case.”
None of the top four have been entirely convincing of late: Liverpool’s unbeaten start in the league ended at Tottenham last week while leaders Chelsea were well-beaten by Roma in midweek.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men will seek to pick up the pieces at Blackburn tomorrow with scathing criticism from skipper John Terry still ringing in their ears.
Terry is hoping the Roma setback will serve as a “kick up the backside” for a squad he accused of lacking fight and desire in the Italian capital.
“We just sort of strolled and went there thinking we were better than them when clearly we were not,” he said. “The quicker we forget about it and wipe the slate clean the better.”
Liverpool, who needed a stoppage time penalty to salvage a Champions League draw at home to Atletico Madrid in midweek, will expect to return to winning ways when West Brom vist Anfield today.
Rafael Benitez would never admit it but it is highly likely that Liverpool’s Spanish manager will be breathing a sigh of relief over the anticipated return from injury of Fernando Torres, whose absence for the last few weeks has severely blunted the Reds cutting edge.
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