Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sunday, December 16, 2007, 4pm
Arsenal
-
Chelsea
By Richard Clarke
Nothing will be decided this weekend. No trophies will be lifted, no medals handed out.
But it might feel like they should be.
On Sunday, the Premier League’s top four face each other. Manchester United go to Liverpool in the early fixture then Chelsea visit Arsenal. To be honest, on current form, there is not much between any of them.
Early season predictions of a two-horse race have proved unfounded and, if you were to assume that Liverpool would win their game in hand, then the quartet go into this weekend separated by a mere four points after 16 games.
You can see why Arsène Wenger feels this title race will be the most thrilling and open in Premier League history. And this could be its most thrilling weekend.
Hold onto your hats.
"I believe without a doubt that this season will be the most exciting year in the Premier League ever,” he said. “Since I've been here you have never had four teams as tight as this.
“It's very difficult to pick one out of the three contenders. For me all three are the same [strengths] but for different reasons. Chelsea because they have the quality, the experience and have done it. Liverpool because they have invested a lot and are keen to win it and Manchester United because they have the individual potential to score goals at any moment and have done it before.
“It is super-healthy. And this weekend, we have a good opportunity to strengthen our lead again because at least one of Liverpool and Man United will drop points, maybe both. A victory could put us in a very strong position."
Wenger will wait until the final possible moment before ruling on the injuries to Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Alex Hleb (hamstring) and Mathieu Flamini (thigh). All three trained on Friday and afterwards the manager was upbeat about their involvement.
Robin van Persie is back after making his first Arsenal appearance in two months during the win over Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday. However Theo Walcott is out after collecting a knee injury in the same game.
Chelsea have re-grouped under Avram Grant after the departure of Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese made for wonderful newspaper copy but the side he produced favoured the functional over the beautiful. The media perception was that Grant would be the opposite. However, at present, the jury is still out on Chelsea’s move from the athletic to aesthetic football. Wenger feels we’ll know more after this match.
"I haven't seen them [under Grant] and anyway to find the real philosophy of a team you have to see them in the big games,” he said. “In the smaller game you can always dominate at home and of course you are always attacking. I think you will see more about the philosophy of Chelsea's game on Sunday."
This game will bring up the three-month anniversary of Arsenal going top of the Premier League. They ascended to the summit after a stirring London derby, a 3-1 win at Tottenham to be precise. Surely it will take performance of similar bravery to maintain their lead.
The manager dismissed the notion that this could be the critical game of campaign only to add: “But I hope we will play in decisive games this season."
Having already matched Manchester United and Liverpool, a victory on Sunday would suggest those “decisive games” are likely to involve Arsenal.
It might tell us the opponents too.
