Liverpool travel to the Emirates tonight on the back of seven unbeaten Premier League games, while the Gunners’ title bid is in tatters after one point from nine.
It has left skipper Gerrard convinced third place is up for grabs if his Anfield side keep up the form which has meant not conceding a league goal in four games.
Steven Gerrard reckons Arsenal’s ‘wounded animals’ are about to get another savaging - now his re-born Reds have rediscovered their taste for a scrap.
He said: “Arsenal will be a bit of a wounded animal. We’ve got to do what Chelsea and Manchester United did, give them little space and hit them on the counter.
“It’s a massive game for us and the target is to get a result where we can push on and try and get third place.
“Our target is a top-four finish but if Arsenal give us any sniff of catching them then we want to grab it.
“Having the Champions League experience and finishing in the top four for the past few years will hold us in good stead. We’re treating every game like a cup final.” Read more…
THERE’S only one Didier Drogba, one England captain, one team in London… and there’s only one team top of the league, having a laugh.
Celebrating Chelsea fans belted out that message loud and clear at Stamford Bridge last night.
But the buoyant Blues crowd missed one out.
There’s also only one team that can stop them taking the title - the usual suspects Manchester United.
Arsenal are out of it.
Deadly Drogba’s first-half double saw to that as he continued to wage his amazing one-man war against Arsene Wenger’s men.
The in-form striker’s brilliant brace means he has now hit 12 goals in 12 games against the Gunners.
If you really want to rub it in, then it’s 12 goals in 10 starts! Read more…
United travel to Emirates Stadium for a crucial Premier League encounter but Campbell believes the game isn’t make or break to either side’s season.
United striker Rooney is the Premier League’s top goalscorer this season, with 19 strikes in 22 starts for his club. It’s something that hasn’t escaped the notice of Campbell, who warns that Arsenal will need to be on their guard come the weekend.
Sol Campbell has described Wayne Rooney as Manchester United’s talisman and says Arsenal will have to be wary of the England striker on Sunday.
“He is their talisman,” said the defender. “He’s always going to pop up and he’s always dangerous.
“We have to watch him, just like at Villa with Heskey and Agbonlahor. In a flash something can happen and they’re in, it’s all a part of football.
“It will be a challenge [to come up against him] but that’s what it’s all about.”
Campbell featured in a number of high-profile matches for Arsenal in his first spell at the Club, helping the Gunners claim two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and reach a Champions League final in which he scored the opening goal.
If he features on Sunday, the 35-year-old will make his 200th appearance for the Club. Read more…
Wenger is fuming at the criticism aimed at William Gallas after his damaging tackle on Bolton’s Mark Davies on Wednesday.
He attacked the readiness of so many to condemn his player while accepting Stoke’s right to kick the Gunners out of their stride in Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie.
‘The most important thing is that players like Cesc Fabregas are protected. You do not come to watch the players who kick him. You come to watch players like him play football. We must never forget that.’
‘I am always absolutely amazed that people get away with that,’ snapped absolutely all right. When people say before a game they will kick you, that shows intent.
Wenger has been stung by comments since the 4-2 win against Bolton, when referee Alan Wiley failed to spot the bad foul by Gallas on Davies in the build-up to Arsenal’s second goal.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle branded it ‘an assault’ in the heat of the moment but back-tracked yesterday and confessed his post-match comments were ‘a bit strong’.
Wenger also hit out at Sky Sports News for showing regular re-runs of the Gallas tackle while ignoring incidents like one when Matt Taylor stepped on Fabregas and pulled his hair when the teams met at The Reebok three days earlier.
‘We are all brainwashed by one or two main medias who decide what we have to talk about,’ said Wenger.
‘Some incidents they have not picked are sometimes more important. Read more…
If Arsenal, Bolton, Arsene Wenger, Owen Coyle or the rest of the Premier League needed it, Cesc Fabregas delivered one of those velvety, thumping reminders of his myriad talents.
The Arsenal captain, just 22 yet steeped in English football, scored his fourth goal in his last three games, his 13th of a season interrupted by injury.
He then created Arsenal’s second for Fran Merida in the 78th minute with a probing run and pass to Eduardo.
Fabregas also had at least one shout for a penalty in a superb individual performance that combined elegance, industry and responsibility.
Where he is concerned, the exceptional is unexceptional.
If Arsenal replicate this scoreline on Wednesday when a re-arranged fixture takes Bolton to north London, they will skip over Chelsea and top the Premier League.
It is a situation that appeared unlikely when Chelsea won 3-0 at Ashburton Grove in late November. But Arsenal have won six and drawn two of the eight League games since and with a knowing smile, Wenger said of Wednesday’s possibilities: ‘Our motivation will be 100 per cent.’ Read more…
Arsenal coach, Arsene Wenger, wrote a letter to Barcelona and Real Madrid, asking them not to flatter Cesc Fabregas or other players through the media. According to him, if they interest to members of his team, they can do a more professional approach.
Since the end of last season, Barcelona and Real Madrid have shown great interest to Fabregas. At that time, Wenger has confirmed, Fabregas is not on the list sell for any price. Fabregas himself has expressed no interest in leaving Arsenal.
Rejection does not make the Spanish giant’s forget it. In this second transfer window, they again stated that they are still interested to Fabregas. In fact, Madrid is also interested to confess Bacary Sagna, who has also declined.
Wenger feels, both approaches focus and damage the team consolidation. According to him, the difference of political culture and Spanish football in England should not be an excuse to damage the club’s other teams.
“We are writing them. If one day we want to sell a player and they are interested, they can call us. They do not have to complain to the newspapers. They did not respond (the letter),” Wenger said. Read more…
Real Madrid striker says unwilling to move to Arsenal or any other club. He claimed to enjoy the atmosphere of the club and the city of Madrid, and hopes to end his career there.
“It would be nice to end my career here. Real Madrid and the city of Madrid is my second home. I’ll be glad when supporters will remember me as a great person, humble, and hardworking,” said Higuain.
The statement was conveyed to do with rumors about the existence of a plan to exchange Madrid Higuain with Arsenal captain, Cesc Fabregas. According to a number of English and Spanish media, coaches Arsenal, Arsene Wenger is a fan of Higuain and therefore sacrificing Fabregas.
Since Robin van Persie was sentenced to injury and could not be performed until the end of the season, the British media continued to preach, Arsenal chasing some attackers. Besides Higuain, Arsenal striker also mentioned chasing Lazio, Mauro Zarate.
REAL MADRID president Florentino Perez’s bid to prise Cesc Fabregas away from Arsenal has been dubbed ‘Operation Cesc’ in Spain.
Perez and his director general Jorge Valdano have held summit talks over a £43million summer bid for the midfield ace - and how they can knock deadly rivals Barcelona out of the running.
Arsenal are desperate to hang on to their captain but might be willing to talk if Real’s £25m-rated striker Gonzalo Higuain is thrown into the bargain.
Against that, Barca hope to weigh in with a straight £40m bid.
If that fails, an alternative is to offer unsettled Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, brother of former Gunners defender Kolo, plus £30m.
Barca president Joan Laporta has already promised “to fight for the kid” who played for the club as a teenager.
A Real insider revealed: “The price demanded is £43m and that is what we are basing our calculations on.
“This is ‘Operation Cesc’, which we hope will prove a blow to Barcelona.”
ARSENE WENGER is jealous of Manchester United’s FA Cup exit because he reckons it has done them a huge Champions League favour.
The Arsenal boss saw his side scrape through to a tricky fourth-round tie at Stoke.
Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo cancelled out an Alessandro Diamanti opener.
Wenger is hunting his first trophy in five years with a fight on all three fronts in the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Champions League.
But he insists that United’s shock KO by Leeds will help rival Alex Ferguson’s European quest.
Wenger said: “I’d have preferred United to have won. Losing to Leeds has not done them so much of a favour in the Premier League when you look at the fixtures.
“But in the Champions League, yes. The fifth round of the cup is just three days before United go to AC Milan. Read more…
