"In our mind it's a game that we want absolutely to win, I tell you," said Arsène Wenger with a steely stare at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"We love to win, we want to reduce the gap to Manchester United as quickly as possible and we want to continue our run because we're in good form. We're still involved in nearly every competition, even the championship, and you never know what can happen."
If Premiership fixtures between Arsenal and Manchester United have lost some of their intensity in recent years then it appears that no one as told this particular Frenchman.
It is now two-and-a-half seasons since either of these two pillars of the Premiership have taken the title. In the intervening years Chelsea have dominated domestic honours and even Liverpool have scooped Europe’s top prize.
Despite his opening salvo, Wenger did admit this particular fixture is not quite the be-all and end-all it used to be.
"I feel the fact that Chelsea came in took a little bit of the focus off Arsenal and Manchester United," said Wenger. "Before the last two years a game between Manchester United and Arsenal was a game nobody could afford to lose.
"Now even if you lose one there is still Chelsea there and then Liverpool joined in so there is less focus only on Manchester United and Arsenal."
You only have to look back to the first game between these sides this season for an illustration. Arsenal went to Old Trafford in September without Thierry Henry, any decent form and, it would seem, much chance of victory.
They pulled off a wonderful 1-0 win but it was Manchester United who kicked-on after that. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side flourished despite losing a must-win game and Wenger's men have had to play catch-up.
Arsenal’s ankle injuries are likely to have healed by Sunday — Emmanuel Eboue is certainly back, Robin van Persie should follow suit after a test on Saturday. However Freddie Ljungberg (hamstring) and William Gallas (thigh) are still out while Gilberto is suspended.
Throughout his media work on Friday, Wenger skirted the issue of the title race. It was like he wanted to suggest a victory on Sunday could open a fissure in the rockface of United’s lead but, ever the economist, the Arsenal manager knew the figure of 15 points was set in stone.
Twice he was asked who would win the title, each time he replied: "I have an idea in my head but if I give you my idea you won’t believe me."
"I cannot say we will," he added later, "because we are 15 points behind Manchester United. But I think we have the ingredients and potential to become the best team.
"At the moment we are not because we cannot deny we lost at Sheffield United, Bolton, Manchester City. Even if they are games we could and should have won.
"But this is a good opportunity for us to close the gap a little bit. They've had the advantage of having stability and players in form at the right moment, but it's still not over. Don't forget they must go to Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Portsmouth. They have a difficult schedule."
On Sunday we’ll find out if those traditionally tough trips to Arsenal are still the most arduous for Manchester United.
Text from Arsenal.com
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