Pro Eleven Headline News

SUPER SUNDAY

Do-or-die for Gunners in battle of Stamford Bridge

Arsenal's fading English Premier League title ambitions face a make-or-break moment on Sunday when they visit leaders Chelsea for a London derby at their Stamford Bridge fortress.

A third straight league defeat could leave the Gunners in freefall and a huge 13 points behind the Blues just 15 games in.

But equally, winning at Stamford Bridge -- where Chelsea have been beaten just once in 89 league games -- would send an impressive statement to the rest of the top flight that Arsenal are back in the race.

Despite the Gunners' dismal league performances on the pitch and dressing-room dust-ups off it, manager Arsene Wenger is relishing the challenge.

"This season we have played better against the top four," he insisted.

"We cannot deny that because we lost against the teams who are not maybe favourites to play in the top four. Why? Maybe because they play a different type of football.

"I believe as well that some teams like Manchester City and Aston Villa have strengths and can give a game to anybody.

"We have to go with extreme desire and express our strong points and not hide. We can play and win everywhere in the world. We know Chelsea are a great side with great players but we can beat them if we play at our best."

And in his hour of crisis, Wenger has received support from the unlikliest of sources going into the Chelsea clash - Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari.

"Arsene is a coach who has been there 12 years. He's a man that builds teams. Sells this and that, then puts in other players," said the Portuguese.

"Arsenal are very good every year. And when you change two or three players in one season, you need time.

"The time, I think, for Arsenal and Arsene is now. They can play very well and win many games."

Scolari and Wenger are old pals, having crossed paths in Japan in the 1990s, and the Portuguese is often a post-match dinner guest at the Frenchman's London home.

The former Brazil manager said he and Wenger shared the same ideas about football, despite the personality differences between the explosive Scolari and the mild-mannered Gunners chief.

"We are opponents only for 90 minutes," Scolari insisted.

"Before the game, we'll talk and discuss the game ahead, this or that player.

"After the game at Stamford Bridge, he knows I'll invite him to come and talk, win, draw or lose. We are two friends. But, in the game, we are opponents."

Stamford Bridge could prove to be a hostile venue for players on both sides and Wenger has appealed for calm.

England left-back Ashley Cole is still reviled for making the switch from Arsenal to the Blues, while France defender William Gallas, who went in the other direction, has recently caused a furore for criticising his own team-mates -- an outburst which saw him stripped of the club captaincy.

France striker Nicolas Anelka, the Premier League's top scorer with 12 goals, faces his old club Arsenal, which he left in 1999.

Arsenal will have leading striker Emmanuel Adebayor, attacking midfielder Samir Nasri and right-back Bacary Sagna available again after recent injuries.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is banned, while midfielder Joe Cole could miss out after sustaining an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw at Bordeaux on Wednesday.

Chelsea won the last clash between the London sides, two Drogba goals cancelling out Sagna's opener at Stamford Bridge in March.

Last weekend's matches left the Blues top of the table with 33 points and the Gunners 10 points behind them in fifth place.

While the west London side were held to a draw in the Champions League midweek, Arsenal beat Dynamo Kiev 1-0 in a match that will have done much to settle the nerves in north London.

Nonetheless, Arsenal still face an uphill task to earn a first victory at Stamford Bridge in eight attempts -- the last win coming in February 2004.

Indeed, Arsenal have won just one of the last 12 meetings with Chelsea in all competitions. AFP


Manchester United seek put-down for City upstarts

Manchester United will be looking for revenge as well as the chance to get their Premier League title push back on track when they take on newly-rich neighbours Manchester City on Sunday.

United are currently eight points behind leaders Chelsea, who face Arsenal in Sunday's later kick-off, and a Liverpool side that is not in action until they face West Ham on Monday.

If the prospect of a crucial three points was not enough motivation for Sir Alex Ferguson's team, they also have a score to settle with their crosstown rivals from last season.

In last season's game at the City of Manchester stadium, United dominated but lost to a wonder-strike by Geovanni and City inflicted further pain by claiming a 2-1 win at Old Trafford on the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

The fact that the Abu Dhabi United Group's takeover has made City arguably the richest club in the world means that the Eastlands club are expected to challenge for the top four in years to come.

And defender Patrice Evra, who had a nightmare debut in a 3-1 defeat at City in January 2006, acknowledges that there will be a special edge to the clash with Mark Hughes's side.

The Frenchman said: "It should be a massive game for both sides. It's a very important game for us and for the fans as well, and for the people working for this club.

"We need to show Man City they aren't better than us. Last year we lost six points, but we won the league but for the fans it's a good present if you win against City."

United are yet to gather real momentum this season and have managed just two wins in their past six matches in all competitions.

A poor away record of just two victories in seven away games in the Premier League is a major reason why Ferguson's men find themselves off the pace.

But the Scot, who must decide whether to recall Dimitar Berbatov after a hamstring problem, is adamant that, having travelled to Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United already this season, United will feel the benefit in the second half of the campaign.

He said: "We have had a lot of hard games. Chelsea, Arsenal and now Man City away from home, straight after a European match is not easy.

"Hopefully the second half (of the season) will promise much better for us because at the moment, we are playing catch-up."

England midfielder Michael Carrick is also unconcerned about the Premier League champions' current problems in front of goal.

United have been stifled in their last two matches - goalless draws at Aston Villa and Villarreal - but Carrick believes it is only a matter of time before the goals start flooding in.

Carrick said: "I'm sure we will start scoring pretty quickly again. We've had spells since I've been here where we've had two or three games like we've had.

"We believe what we're doing is the right way and I'm sure we'll become better than ever as the season progresses."

Hughes is likely to recall Robinho, Elano and Pablo Zabaleta after they missed the 2-0 UEFA Cup win in Schalke on Thursday.

Having beaten Arsenal 3-0 in their last Premier League game before recording the win in Germany, midfielder Vincent Kompany believes City are in great shape as they head into the derby.

The Belgian has switched from central defence to Hughes since arriving at City from German side Hamburg in August and Kompany feels Hughes' team are beginning to show the control and discipline that was lacking earlier in the campaign.

"The two wins were very important," he said. "In the last two games we did not have as much possession as we usually have - but we got rewarded because we were organised, concentrated and played like a very experienced team."

Hughes also believes that this week has been an opportunity for City, who have lacked consistency this season, to show what they are capable of.

He said: "Confidence-wise we are in great shape. People looked at the week that we had ahead of us with Arsenal, Schalke and Manchester United, and obviously people felt it might be beyond us.

"But I know the quality I have in my squad." -AFP


Messi inspires Barcelona to victory, Real lose

Barcelona went six points clear at the top of the Primera Liga this morning with a 3-0 win away to Sevilla on Saturday after second-placed Real Madrid lost 3-1 at Getafe.

Barca's Samuel Eto'o got a typical poacher's goal, bursting into the area to stab a loose ball high into the net after 20 minutes of a pulsating encounter at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Sevilla's Frederic Kanoute hit the bar just before halftime but there was precious little space for either side to operate.

Barcelona dominated possession but Lionel Messi was closely marshalled until the 79th minute, when he raced on to a long ball and volleyed past Andres Palop.

The Argentine forward scampered after another long ball to round Palop for his second goal in the final minute by which time Sevilla were down to 10 men. Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano was sent off for elbowing in the 86th.

Barca moved on to 32 points from 13 games, six ahead of Real.

Third-placed Villarreal, with 25 points, visit bottom club Recreativo Huelva on Sunday.

Champions Real Madrid were always second best as Getafe built on last weekend's 1-1 draw in Barcelona with another intelligent tactical display.

Real were trailing from the third minute, when Jaime Gavilan's run and cross from the left was met by a powerful header from Uruguayan forward Juan Albin.

Two minutes after the half-time restart, Albin broke away to surprise Iker Casillas by scoring at his near post.

Javier Saviola pulled a goal back after an error in the home defence in the 55th minute but Real's resistance did not last long.

Getafe pulled them apart on counter-attacks, and hit the woodwork twice, before Albin squared for Nigeria striker Ikechukwu Uche on the counter in the 82nd to end the visitors' faint hopes of a comeback.

Having started the day with seven first-team regulars out injured, Real were forced to make two first-half substitutions when Wesley Sneijder and Miguel Torres pulled up with injuries.

Pepe also finished with a muscle problem.

"Getafe were much better. They played a spectacular game and the scoreline flatters us," Real coach Bernd Schuster said.

"We have a lot of players injured but we could do nothing. From the first moment I saw it would be difficult for us... and I never had the sensation we would win." - Reuters