Matt Scott
Saturday February 16, 2008
The
Guardian
United are five points behind Arsenal after defeat to Manchester
City and a draw at Tottenham Hotspur. Today's match has become an
unexpected opportunity to strike a psychological blow against Sir
Alex Ferguson's side ahead of their April 12 league meeting. "We
want to show we can do well at Manchester United because we are
going back there later in the season and we want to have an impact
on what will happen," Wenger said. "We will dig deep because we
want to qualify."
Arsenal lost to United in the semi-finals in 1999 - when the
latter won the Treble - and in 2004, Arsenal's season as unbeaten
league champions. In 2005 Arsenal won a drab final against United
on penalties. Old Trafford has been the scene of some of Arsenal's
most significant matches: the 1-0 win in 2002 that delivered half a
Double and the hard-fought stalemate in October 2003 that was the
springboard for their unbeaten season. But the Arsenal manager took
care not to indulge in the verbal jousting that has also
characterised meetings between these old adversaries.
"I feel they are still in the [title] race because, two games
ago, we were second: that shows you how quickly it can change from
one day to the next," said Wenger. "Since the beginning of the
season we have strengthened our belief and we know that is down to
us to continue just to focus on what we have done until now.
Winning makes you stronger."
