Wenger - Top-four battles are our last test

DouJ85

It would be wrong to suggest Arsenal have had a simply ‘good start’. The campaign they have enjoyed has been better than that.

Arsène Wenger’s side have played 15 games in all competitions this season and have won every one apart from the draw at Blackburn on August 19. Given that Arsenal have all-but assured qualification to the Knockout Stages of the Champions League and left pre-season doom-mongerers eating spoonfuls of humble pie, ‘a start’ does not do credit to their progress. Had the Premier League season still been in its infancy then three managers would not have departed already.

However even Wenger admits there is still a doubt against his side and he knows it will be answered over the course of the next nine days when Arsenal take on two of their traditional top-four rivals — starting with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

“Playing a big side is the last question mark against this side,” said Wenger at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “That’s what people expect from us but I’m very confident. You want to go into the game and perform at the top level against the big sides. You want to make sure you are at your best. All the rest doesn’t concern me too much and I know we have the ability to do it.

“I feel that if we repeat our record against the big teams from last year then we will be very difficult to beat. That’s the challenge we face now.”