Arsene Wenger maintains the strength in depth of the BPL this season will ensure no-one runs away with the title.
Arsenal head to Middlesbrough for tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off some eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, but boosted by the recent victory over rivals Chelsea.
Rafael Benitez is, though, not getting carried away with the Reds’ lofty position – and declared it would need the other big four to "mess up their season" to ensure a smooth path towards the title come May.
Arsenal have yet to lose to any of the teams above them, and host Liverpool next Sunday.
However, they have been beaten by the likes of Hull, Fulham, Stoke and Manchester City, as well as fifth-placed Aston Villa.
Gunners manager Wenger insists the increased competition among the rest of England’s elite clubs proves no encounter can be considered an easy ride any more.
He told Arsenal TV Online: "The level of demands are higher from everywhere.
"People always want top, top quality with top results, but on the other hand you have better teams in the Premier League than ever and that is why it is difficult for everybody.
"You cannot have on one side the best Premier League in the world and on the other side have teams just to turn up and think you will win the game. You will have surprises."
The Gunners boss, though, is determined not to suffer another shock result tomorrow – and is expected to recall several first-team players who missed the midweek Champions League defeat in Porto.
He continued: "I believe we have come back into some consistency – we have beaten Chelsea and Wigan, also Kiev, and that the Porto result was a special game.
"When you get to a position where you can protect your Premier League game a bit, then you do it.
"In this case it was very important and was why we made that choice [against Porto]. Hopefully it will pay off."
Victory tomorrow would set the Gunners up nicely for the visit of Liverpool ahead of the hectic Christmas schedule.
Wenger explained: "You have a period now where you can completely focus on the Premier League and you can set yourself a target.
"If we can get to within a reasonable difference by Christmas, we still have half of the championship to play after to come back into the race."
Despite the disappointment of not securing the draw they needed to win their Champions League group in midweek, Wenger rejected the notion Arsenal would be handicapped by not being seeded.
"What is most important in the direct knockout stage is the form of the moment, how good you are when the game happens," he said.
"We have shown we can knock Real Madrid out, AC Milan out and also that we have lost against PSV with the second leg at home.
"So let’s be positive and take it that no matter who we will play, we can do it."
Tomorrow’s trip to Middlesbrough will give Emmanuel Eboue another chance to heal the rift with some sections of the Gunners crowd who had booed him off when he was substituted towards the end of the Wigan game.
In Porto, the Ivory Coast player threw his shirt into the travelling fans to thank them for their positive response.
Wenger said: "He has shown he does not bear any grudge, that he wants to restore relations with the crowd – but that does not mean that internally he does not suffer.
"The players have done the biggest part of the job because they supported him very well."
Wenger, meanwhile, has called for "patience" over the return to fitness of striker Eduardo, who has been out for some 10 months following a broken leg.
The Croatian’s rehabilitation has gone exceptionally well and he should feature for the reserves next week.
Leave Your Comments