Arsene Wenger believes beating the Premier League strugglers will
be key to Arsenal's chances of mounting a serious title challenge
this season.
The league leaders host bottom-of-the-table Derby at the Emirates
Stadium tomorrow - the Rams have yet to score and lost their last
away game 6-0 at Liverpool.
However Wenger has warned against complacency - his team failed to
produce the goods in similar matches last season.
"It is a big game, because last season we dropped points against
these teams," he said.
"This year we want to take points against these teams and this year
we have achieved that up to now.
"We want to keep our home strengths and it is a weekend where we
can stay in the position where we are in.
"We do not want to damage that position because you do not have
completely the right focus.
"It was only two months ago that people were saying we had no
chance of finishing in the top four.
"I had a massive belief in them, but how far they go is down to us.
That is the challenge we have in front of us.
"The belief has been strengthened but we have not won
anything.
"It is all to do. I have the belief we have the potential to win,
but it is all to do."
The Arsenal manager is set to "rotate a little bit" tomorrow, with
Gilberto, England Under-21 forward Theo Walcott and Croatian
striker Eduardo - on target in midweek - all in contention to start
against the Rams