Underfire Gunners face Man City
30 March 2014 4:54 AM IST
Arsenal can put their morale-sapping recent results behind them and win the Premier League, manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday ahead of a crucial home clash with title favourites Manchester City.
Fourth-placed Arsenal have endured a dismal week as a 6-0 thumping by leaders Chelsea, followed by a home draw against struggling Swansea City, left them six points off top spot.
But the Frenchman, whose team have taken eight points from their last six league matches, was in a defiant mood ahead of Saturday’s visit of City.
‘There is no other priority other than coming first - that is still our target,’ said Wenger, whose best chance of claiming a trophy this season comes in the FA Cup where they will face Wigan Athletic in the semi-final in April. ‘We have not given up believe me. We were 17 or 18 times top of the league this season. ‘If people say (fifth place) Everton can catch us then we can catch the teams above us.’
Arsenal have been guilty of capitulating against their title rivals this season and were beaten 6-3 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in December.
Yet they boast an impressive home record in the league, losing only once to Aston Villa in the first game of the season, and Wenger has backed his stuttering side to perform against third-placed City.
‘We play at the Emirates where we show big strengths and we want to show that again,’ Wenger told a news conference.’There are plenty of positives to take from the game at the Etihad - but of course we must defend better.’It will be down to the quality of our collective defending on Saturday. We have to keep going despite our negative results. ‘We haven’t started the big games on the front foot and we want to change that.’
Under-fire Moyes seeks Villa kill
LONDON: Manchester United manager David Moyes will hope the faltering English champions can stem the rising tide of criticism coming his way against Aston Villa in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Moyes was the handpicked successor of former United boss Alex Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, who retired at the end of last season.
That led some fans to honour Moyes by draping a banner bearing the words ‘The Chosen One’ at the Stretford End of United’s Old Trafford ground. However, such has been United’s slump, one angry supporters’ group has threatened to hire a plane towing the message ‘Chosen wrong, Moyes out’ over Old Trafford during the Villa match.
But Villa manager Paul Lambert said that would be excessive, insisting Moyes -- who has signed a six-year contract -- would stay at United for the foreseeable future. ‘Some of the criticism is way over top,’ Lambert said of the flak coming the way of his fellow Scottish manager. ‘He has a huge job -- and it’s not as if he is standing there feeling good he’s fuming like anyone else.’
‘For him to receive that level of criticism is not nice. Flying a plane over stadium saying he’s not wanted is a bit extreme.’ Chelsea meanwhile travel to face Tony Pulis’ Crystal Palace. Liverpool host Tottenham.
Fourth-placed Arsenal have endured a dismal week as a 6-0 thumping by leaders Chelsea, followed by a home draw against struggling Swansea City, left them six points off top spot.
But the Frenchman, whose team have taken eight points from their last six league matches, was in a defiant mood ahead of Saturday’s visit of City.
‘There is no other priority other than coming first - that is still our target,’ said Wenger, whose best chance of claiming a trophy this season comes in the FA Cup where they will face Wigan Athletic in the semi-final in April. ‘We have not given up believe me. We were 17 or 18 times top of the league this season. ‘If people say (fifth place) Everton can catch us then we can catch the teams above us.’
Arsenal have been guilty of capitulating against their title rivals this season and were beaten 6-3 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in December.
Yet they boast an impressive home record in the league, losing only once to Aston Villa in the first game of the season, and Wenger has backed his stuttering side to perform against third-placed City.
‘We play at the Emirates where we show big strengths and we want to show that again,’ Wenger told a news conference.’There are plenty of positives to take from the game at the Etihad - but of course we must defend better.’It will be down to the quality of our collective defending on Saturday. We have to keep going despite our negative results. ‘We haven’t started the big games on the front foot and we want to change that.’
Under-fire Moyes seeks Villa kill
LONDON: Manchester United manager David Moyes will hope the faltering English champions can stem the rising tide of criticism coming his way against Aston Villa in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Moyes was the handpicked successor of former United boss Alex Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, who retired at the end of last season.
That led some fans to honour Moyes by draping a banner bearing the words ‘The Chosen One’ at the Stretford End of United’s Old Trafford ground. However, such has been United’s slump, one angry supporters’ group has threatened to hire a plane towing the message ‘Chosen wrong, Moyes out’ over Old Trafford during the Villa match.
But Villa manager Paul Lambert said that would be excessive, insisting Moyes -- who has signed a six-year contract -- would stay at United for the foreseeable future. ‘Some of the criticism is way over top,’ Lambert said of the flak coming the way of his fellow Scottish manager. ‘He has a huge job -- and it’s not as if he is standing there feeling good he’s fuming like anyone else.’
‘For him to receive that level of criticism is not nice. Flying a plane over stadium saying he’s not wanted is a bit extreme.’ Chelsea meanwhile travel to face Tony Pulis’ Crystal Palace. Liverpool host Tottenham.
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