prove their title credentials by
turning on the style during a
daunting spell for the Premier League
leaders.
Wenger's team have been in superb
form in the league, winning seven
and drawing one of their last eight
games to establish a two-point lead
over Chelsea at the summit.
However, after losing at home to
Borussia Dortmund in the Champions
League and then falling to Chelsea in
the League Cup, questions are being
asked about their capacity to go the
distance.
The criticism will grow more
vociferous if Arsenal stumble against
third-placed Liverpool at Emirates
Stadium on Saturday, especially with
a crucial Champions League clash in
Dortmund looming in midweek
followed by a trip to Manchester
United.
"It is an important period of course,
but I am quite confident and am quite
relaxed because I have the complete
confidence that we will deal well with
it," Wenger said.
"I take it as an opportunity to show
our strengths and I am completely
sure that the players will be up for it
and take this opportunity.
"I learnt a lot about my team through
the spring period when we had our
backs to the wall and had to win
every single game.
"I know how strong these guys are
and how much they want it. We want
to be and I think we are title
contenders."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers
has revealed that Brazilian
playmaker Philippe Coutinho has
been given the "all clear" to return to
action, having been sidelined since
September 16 with a shoulder
problem.
Arsenal could be in second place by
the time the game kicks off at the
Emirates Stadium, if Chelsea win at
Newcastle United in Saturday's early
match.
The Europa League champions won
all six of their games in October,
scoring 18 goals, but right-back Cesar
Azpilicueta has warned his
teammates not to get carried away.
"It's true that Arsenal have two really
difficult games, but we don't need to
look to the other teams," said the
Spaniard, who opened the scoring in
his side's 2-0 League Cup win at the
Emirates on Tuesday.
"We play in a difficult stadium in
Newcastle and we know it's always a
hard game there."
Newcastle enjoyed a 3-2 win over
Chelsea in last season's
corresponding fixture in February,
but they may be hampered by the
after-effects of Wednesday's 2-0
extra-time defeat at home to
Manchester City in the League Cup.
City are six points off the pace after
going down 2-1 at Chelsea last
weekend and will hope to make up
ground on the teams above them
when they tackle Norwich City at
Eastlands.
Joe Hart is fighting to hold onto his
place as City's first-choice goalkeeper,
having committed the latest in a
succession of blunders to hand
Chelsea victory at Stamford Bridge.
Despite that setback, City can console
themselves with the knowledge that
they remain two points above cross-
town rivals Manchester United, but
the defending champions have
shown signs of improvement in
recent weeks.
United's 4-0 win over Norwich in the
Capital one Cup in mid-week extended
their run of games without defeat to
six and on Saturday they visit a
Fulham side who were dumped out
of the League Cup by second-tier
Leicester City.
Fifth-place Southampton will look to
sustain their excellent recent form
away to Stoke City, while Everton
and Tottenham Hotspur will both be
gunning for a third consecutive
victory when they meet at Goodison
Park on Sunday.
The weekend will also witness the
first all-Welsh game in the 125-year
history of the English top flight, when
Cardiff City host south Wales rivals
Swansea City on Sunday.
The teams last met in the
Championship in February 2011 and
go into the weekend separated by
two points, with Swansea ninth and
Cardiff 16th.
Swansea midfielder Leon Britton, one
of the few players in either squad
with prior experience of the derby,
says it will be an occasion when cool
heads will prevail.
"It's very different," he said. "It's like
a cup final. It's not like a league
game. Sometimes it's crazy. It can be
hard to control the game as it is so
fast and furious at times."
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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