The Arsenal manager should be more concerned at the mental state of his own players ahead of Saturday’s clash with Middlesbrough.
Wenger’s side are allowing Man Utd into race for Premier LeagueLONDON: Title jousts between Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have never been lacking in psychological warfare, but the Arsenal manager should be more concerned at the mental state of his own players ahead of Saturday’s clash with Middlesbrough.
Arsenal may be progressing serenely in Europe, courtesy of their impressive second-round win in Milan, but in the English Premier League they are suffering a potentially fatal slump.
It is now four games since the north Londoners registered a victory and by the time they walk out at the Emirates this weekend, they could have lost their position at the top of the table.
With United surely guaranteed maximum points from their trip to demoralised Derby earlier in the day, Wenger’s players will be under a different sort of pressure against the Teessiders.
The strain was certainly showing at Wigan’s JJB stadium last week, when Arsenal produced one of their most laboured performances of the season in a dire 0-0 draw, albeit on a mud heap of a pitch.
The lush turf of the Emirates will seem like a bowling green in comparison, but the Gunners’ frustration at Wigan has become a familiar sensation in recent weeks.
Arsenal are currently locked in barren run which has seen them score just five times in their last six matches. By Wenger’s heady standards, that is a virtual drought, although the Frenchman is not about to start panicking.
Barca’s mission impossible
Barcelona must produce one of the biggest comebacks in history if they are to snatch the Spanish title this season with just 11 games left to overturn Real Madrid’s commanding eight-point lead at the top.
Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat by Villarreal allowed Real to surge eight points clear and bookmakers have Real as red-hot favourites to retain the championship.
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