"We can still win league" - Wenger

[Jack]

I sure hope we can...

Source BBC

Emirates Stadium
Saturday, 5 April
Kick-off: 1245 BST
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his side can win the Premier League - but says they may have to win all six of their remaining games to do so.

Arsenal, six points behind Manchester United, play Liverpool at The Emirates on Saturday in a crucial encounter.

Wenger said: "Some people say the title is over but not me, I still believe that we can win the Premier League.

"United have four away games and they are at home to us as well. They are excellent, but they can lose points."

Interview with Arsene Wenge

He added: "It depends on how the games go and how much effort the teams put in - but no win is guaranteed in the Premier League."I would love to put some more pressure on Manchester United. I feel it is very important to win our game against Liverpool first and therefore we need to be at our best.

"Everything is still possible, of course - but the main thing for us is to win our games.

"Five wins and a draw is a minimum but that means we would have to win at Old Trafford. Six wins would be better."

Wenger pits his wits against Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez for the second of their three games in six days, the league match sandwiched in between their Champions League quarter-final.

He knows how important Tuesday's second leg at Anfield is with the tie poised at 1-1, but says everyone's focus should be on Saturday's league game.

"I will pick a team which can win the game on Saturday. I feel we have a good chance in the championship and do not want to miss that," said the Frenchman.

"For us it is important to win because of the situation in the league. It would have a double impact - one for the league and one for the Champions League.

"I never analyse the league when we have things in our own hands but this time that is not completely the case so we have to see where things can turn and change.

"Now it gets so tight you have to think about what might happen elsewhere.

"It can change much quicker than people think."

Wenger also believes Liverpool, five points clear of Everton in fourth but eight points adrift of the third-placed Gunners, can afford to rest players on Saturday with Europe in mind.

"I believe they will make changes. I am not sure whether Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will play," said Wenger.

"They have a big squad and a lot of experienced players who didn't play on Wednesday. To my calculation, eight players with big Premier League experience."

[Steve Gardner]

I admire Wenger's (and yours) optimism, but I think United have it. Here are United's remaining fixtures:

Middlesbrough v Man Utd
Man Utd v Arsenal
Blackburn v Man Utd
Chelsea v Man Utd
Man Utd v West Ham
Wigan v Man Utd

The only way Arsenal can catch them, in my view, is if they win at Old Trafford. Anything less and it's hard to see where United will drop the seven points needed for Arsenal to overhaul them (assuming Arsenal win all their other games, of course).

Can you see United losing two and drawing one of the other five fixtures?

[Steve Gardner]

Maybe I was being a bit premature handing the title to United. I still believe they will finish ahead of Arsenal and I still have them as favourites to pip Chelsea to the title, but the draw against Middlesbrough has certainly made the run-in more nail-biting.

And, with Vidic out and Ferdinand facing a scan on Monday, United's defence will undoubtedly be less solid.

[Jack]

I always did like my optimism!

I think that if Arsenal and Chelsea have a real fight for the title then both sides will be able to beat United, meaning they'd lose 6 points.

I still think both Arsenal and Chelsea have a chance. Although Arsenal drawing to Liverpool at the weekend wasn't exactly what they were hoping for.

[Jack]

"Wenger refuses to concede title"

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to concede the title race after seeing more points go begging on Saturday.

Before their 1-1 draw with Liverpool, Wenger said they may have to win all six of their remaining games to do so.

Manchester United face Middlesbrough on Sunday and a victory would give them an eight-point lead over the Gunners.

"In my brain it is not over, because it is not over mathematically. It depends on the results of the other teams," Wenger said.

He added: "With our situation in the table victory was needed but you never know, you hope for the best. I hope we're not too far behind on Monday.

"I expect not to be eight points behind. I expect to watch the game and see what happens."

Arsenal fell behind to a Peter Crouch first-half goal but Nicklas Bendtner equalised and both sides had chances to win it.

Wenger added: "We couldn't get into the game. It happens sometimes when you play an intense game. Sometimes the next game is difficult.

"We are disappointed. We feel we dominated the whole second half and I believe we had a penalty again.

"I feel we had a blatant penalty again for a foul on Cesc Fabregas, which was not given. You can see it well on television, it is 100% conclusive.

"We didn't take our chances, especially in the last minute, but Liverpool are always dangerous on the counter-attack."

The two sides meet for the third time in a row in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final in midweek.

Wenger said: "We will recover, prepare and give everything on Tuesday.

"We can beat Liverpool at Anfield and we must focus on that."

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was the happier of the two managers after the game.

He said: "It was a difficult game. We changed some players and it was very, very positive to see Crouch play well, Yossi Benayoun playing and Damien Plessis make his debut.

"He is a player with qualities and we have a lot of confidence in him.

"I think we deserved it, we were doing the right things and we had chances on the counter-attack.

"For us it is a positive result. We have one more point and maybe it is a really bad result for them in the race for the title.

"We showed we can score against them and can also stop them so that is a positive for us."

[Steve Gardner]

Arsenal's defeat to United leaves a straight fight between United and Chelsea for the title. I know it's still mathematically possible for Arsenal to win, but it would require such an improbable sequence of results that even the most optimistic Arsenal fan must realise it ain't gonna happen.

Shame - a three-way run-in for the title would have been thrilling.

My money remains on United. They have a four point cushion, effectively, since their goal difference is far superior.

A Chelsea win at Stamford Bridge against United would certainly make things real interesting though.

Source and full article: BBC

Manchester United went six points clear at the top of the Premier League after coming from behind to beat Arsenal in a pulsating encounter at Old Trafford.

Arsenal were on top for long spells but striker Emmanuel Adebayor wasted some gilt-edged chances, before he appeared to use his arm to open the scoring.

United levelled through a twice-taken Cristiano Ronaldo penalty after William Gallas had handled in the Arsenal box.

Owen Hargreaves won it with 20 minutes to go with a superb 25-yard free-kick.

The result all-but ends Arsenal's hopes of winning the title and after their Champions League exit at the hands of Liverpool in midweek, means they will end a third successive season trophyless.

[Steve Gardner]

It's United's now, for sure.

Source: BBC

Emile Heskey struck with an injury-time volley to earn a point for Wigan but leave Chelsea's hopes of winning the Premier League hanging by a thread.

Chris Kirkland made brilliant saves from Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou while John Terry hit the crossbar.

Chelsea eventually took the lead when Michael Essien struck from 20 yards.

But Heskey converted Jason Koumas's teasing cross to leave Chelsea five points behind leaders United with four games left to play.

[Steve Gardner]

Chelsea were just three minutes away from being in control of their Premiership destiny before Tevez levelled things up at Blackburn.

I seem to recall Tevez featuring prominently in last year's final stages when he turned it on for West Ham and helped consign Sheff Utd to the Championship.

As a neutral, I rather hope Utd drop more points.

Source and full article: BBC

Carlos Tevez's late equaliser kept Manchester United on course for the Premier League title as they earned a crucial point at Blackburn.

Roque Santa Cruz threatened to blow the race for the Championship wide open with a calm finish after 21 minutes.

And Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel kept United at bay almost single-handedly with a string of stunning saves.

But Tevez headed in after 88 minutes to leave United three points ahead of Chelsea before a trip Stamford Bridge.