Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal to make the most of Manchester United’s midweek defeat at Chelsea.
The Red Devils could have gone seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table but their 2-1 setback at Stamford Bridge means Arsenal remain four points behind the leaders with a game in hand.
Victory at home to Sunderland on Saturday would pile pressure on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side ahead of their trip to Liverpool on Sunday.
And Wenger claims he is committed so much to league success that he has almost forgotten about their crucial Champions League trip to Barcelona next Tuesday.
“The championship is very important,” he said. “Personally, I cannot believe we play Barcelona next week because my obsession is really Sunderland.
Obsession
“The obsession is more than the Champions League because, for me, it’s highly important that we take advantage of our situation in the Premier League.
“We battled everywhere since the start of the season against many specialist opinions that we have no chance at all.
“Now that we are in this situation, it would be very dramatic if we would not consider the importance of the game tomorrow.”
Wenger is keen to make amends for last Sunday’s Carling Cup final defeat to Birmingham and his side have gone the right way about it, thumping Leyton Orient 5-0 in their FA Cup fifth-round replay on Wednesday to book a quarter-final tie with United.
That rounded off a tumultuous fortnight for the Gunners as they beat Barca 2-1 in their last-16 first leg only for a weakened side to be held 1-1 at Orient four days later, and Wenger believes that emotional run will stand his side in good stead.
“I have learned a lot because every game teaches you things about your team,” he added.
Negative emotions
“I feel that we have gone through highs and lows and what makes the life of a team and a player is how you resist negative emotions and keep your attitude aligned with your goals.
“You could see on Wednesday night that this team is mentally very strong and hungry for success and we look forward.
“We want to grow stronger and stronger. How the team responded to Sunday’s disappointment is remarkable.
“Some individuals were a bit more down after the final and we talked to them. Overall, we were not tremendously down because we have so many high targets in front of us that the team is highly focused.
“This team is top quality and hungry for success. We promised ourselves to give absolutely everything until the end of the season and that is what we will do.”
