Arsenal eye perfect 10 in Premier League
The Russian takeover rumours rumble on at Arsenal but there is no
sign of them shaking the poise of Arsene Wenger's table-topping
side.
Written off before the start of the season after the exit of
Thierry Henry, the Gunners can clock up a 10th consecutive victory
in all competitions when they welcome Roy Keane's Sunderland to the
Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Keane's old club Manchester United may have displaced Arsenal by
the time they kick off if they beat Wigan Athletic on Saturday but
there is an irresistible quality to their football at the moment
which is leaving their rivals in the shade.
One of them, Liverpool, stuttered badly in midweek when they lost
at home to Marseilles in the Champions League and will be anxious
to put things right against surprise bottom three dwellers
Tottenham Hotspur in another of the eight Sunday kickoffs in the
Premier League.
advertisement
Chelsea's new coach Avram Grant went some way to winning over the
sceptics on Wednesday when his side won 2-1 in Valencia but he has
still to taste a Premier League win and three points are a must at
struggling Bolton Wanderers.
Arsenal's early form has cast Henry into the history books and some
are even drawing parallels with Wenger's team who went through the
2003-04 season undefeated.
Striker Robin van Persie, scorer of the winner against Steaua
Bucharest on Tuesday, is not surprised at how well Arsenal have
started the campaign.
"I began very early this season," he said on Arsenal's Web site. "I
first started just with Theo Walcott (in June) and then the other
lads joined. What I saw was a great togetherness, a great belief
and a great, great quality. I saw it every day.
"...If we can stay together then we can do some amazing
stuff."
Chelsea, languishing in eighth place after a traumatic start to
their season, had Didier Drogba to thank for victory in Valencia
but the Ivorian will be missing at Bolton after getting sent off on
his return from injury against Fulham last week.
However, with defender Ricardo Carvalho making his return from
injury against Valencia and Frank Lampard close to a return, a win
at Bolton would lift the blues that have enveloped Stamford Bridge
since the exit of Jose Mourinho.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has had his rotation policy
scrutinised in recent weeks, but no coach has been under the media
microscope more than Tottenham's affable Dutchman Martin Jol.
He looked doomed when his side trailed 4-1 at home to Aston Villa
on Monday before his side rallied for a remarkable 4-4 draw.
Tottenham have never beaten one of the big four away from home
under Jol's stewardship and he needs that dismal record to improve
quickly if his reign at Spurs is not to be cut short.
In other matches on Sunday, goal-happy Portsmouth go to Fulham,
high-flying Manchester City take on Middlesbrough looking to cement
their place in the top four.
Bottom club Derby County may sense a chance of three valuable
points at a Reading side struggling in their second season in the
top flight.
