Chelsea slip lets Gunners into last chance saloon
Saturday, 6 February 2010
LONDON, Feb 5 (AFP): Wayne Rooney was widely believed to have shattered Arsenal's Premier League title hopes when he orchestrated Manchester United's 3-1 win over the Gunners at the Emirates last weekend.
So tamely did Arsene Wenger's men surrender that it was hard to resist the conclusion that the title race had just been downgraded from a three to a two- club contest.
Wenger, understandably, begged to differ and Chelsea's unexpectedly lacklustre display in a 1-1 draw at Hull Tuesday suggested the Arsenal manager was right to predict a few more twists in the plot before the denouement of what has been an intriguing season.
Chelsea's midweek slip means Arsenal can move back to within three points of their London rivals if they can repeat last season's win at Stamford Bridge Sunday.
The way in which Arsenal were bullied into submission by Didier Drogba when the two clubs met at the Emirates in November will not give Gunners fans any great cause for optimism, but Wenger is confident of engineering a reaction from his players to last weekend's humiliation.
So tamely did Arsene Wenger's men surrender that it was hard to resist the conclusion that the title race had just been downgraded from a three to a two- club contest.
Wenger, understandably, begged to differ and Chelsea's unexpectedly lacklustre display in a 1-1 draw at Hull Tuesday suggested the Arsenal manager was right to predict a few more twists in the plot before the denouement of what has been an intriguing season.
Chelsea's midweek slip means Arsenal can move back to within three points of their London rivals if they can repeat last season's win at Stamford Bridge Sunday.
The way in which Arsenal were bullied into submission by Didier Drogba when the two clubs met at the Emirates in November will not give Gunners fans any great cause for optimism, but Wenger is confident of engineering a reaction from his players to last weekend's humiliation.