Sunday’s game between Chelsea and Arsenal is massive for both teams, especially for the Gunners who are fully aware of the fact that a defeat could mean the end of their Premiership dream.

Midfielder Samir Nasri knows this and speaking to L’Equipe he declared that moving within three points from the top would be a massive boost but a defeat could mean end of dream.

He said:

Quote:

We are just six points away from Chelsea and we will play them on Sunday. A win could give us a big boost. The Premier League is 38 games [long] and during the last one the title will be granted, not now. However, we can’t lose on Sunday, otherwise it would mean the end of our title hopes. We know we can beat anyone. Perhaps we put a little too much pressure [on ourselves] before the matches against the biggest teams because we believe they are decisive for the title. If we could play without asking ourselves any questions, as last season, we could hurt our opponents much more.

Everton striker Louis Saha has agreed a new contract at Goodison Park.
The 31-year-old has put pen to paper on a new deal that will earn him around £55,000 a week.
Arsenal were known to be interested in signing the striker at one time, and Tottenham, Sunderland, Liverpool and Aston Villa also expressed an interest in him.
Saha: In action against Sunderland last week
Saha has enjoyed a new lease of life since joining Everton 17 months ago after an injury-ravaged spell at Manchester United.
He said: 'It was an easy decision. You always think carefully but it didn't take melong to know I wanted to stay because I have enjoyed my time here and I want tobe part of the future of Everton.
'It is a pleasure and an honour to stay here.
'At certain stages in your career you look at where you are going and by staying at Everton I feel I am going up in my career.'
New deal: Saha celebrates after scoring against Chelsea in December
Saha, the club's leading scorer this season with 13 goals from just20 starts, added on the club's website: 'I appreciate the way theEverton fans support the team and the way they support me all the time.
'It is a pleasure to be here and see the way the fans work for the team, they help all the players.
'It feels like a family and I really feel a part of it.'
Everton boss David Moyes never doubted the Frenchman would agree to stay.
'A lot of stupid nonsense has been written about Louis. We have always felt quite confident Louis would sign a new contract,' he said.
Reina not thinking about top four finish - beating Everton is all that mattersMersey United: What is the ideal 'Everpool' line-up?EVERTON FC

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti said he never considered leaving out John Terry for Sunday's big game against Arsenal because of his off-the-field problems.

"John has to play against Arsenal because he's one of the most important players in the team and we need to put strength and quality in the team," Ancelotti told reporters on Friday before the FA announced Terry had been stripped of the England captaincy.

The Chelsea defender was sacked as England skipper by international coach Fabio Capello following intense media speculation over Terry's private life.

NEWS: Terry stripped of England captaincy

Capello's fellow Italian Ancelotti said it had been business as normal this week as Premier League leaders Chelsea prepared to host third-placed Arsenal.

"Nothing is different about the last week," said Ancelotti. "The problem involving John is outside our training ground.

"It's normal life for us. It's an important game against a strong team and I think we will be ready to play our best game."

Ancelotti said he was surprised at the level of media interest in married father of two Terry.

The 29-year-old defender's private life would never have caused such a stir in Italy, said the Chelsea coach before adding he would not interfere with the situation over the England team.


'NOT MY PROBLEM'

"I'm not interested in Capello and John Terry," said Ancelotti. "It's not my problem.

"John is focusing on his job. He is doing very well every day, every moment. He's the captain of this team and he's doing his best for the team. He's been playing well the last two games, he scored at Burnley (last Saturday).

"It's his private life and I don't want to know nothing about this. I'm interested only in his professional behaviour and his professional behaviour is the best," said Ancelotti.

"Some coaches phone players at home to check on them. I have never done this. I'm interested in the players on the training ground and controlling their behaviour only at the ground."

Chelsea, who beat Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium in November, are six points ahead of their London rivals and two in front of Manchester United.

Arsenal lost 3-1 at home to United last weekend and face a Chelsea team unbeaten at home for more than a year.

Ancelotti's only injury absentee is versatile Brazilian Juliano Belletti.

Didier Drogba, who has scored 10 goals against Arsenal in nine starts and two substitute appearances since joining Chelsea in 2004, is likely to partner Nicolas Anelka up front.

Сеска тянет на родину




Казалось бы, трансферное окно только-только закрылось, но в мире футбола все строят долгосрочные планы. Грядущим летом может произойти один из ключевых эпизодов в карьере 22-летнего капитана лондонского «Арсенала» Сеска Фабрегаса. Воспитанник «Барселоны» рассматривается многими в качестве самого ожидаемого новичка на «Камп Ноу». Впрочем, находятся и те, кто сватает Сеска в стан основного конкурента каталонцев в Примере - мадридского «Реала». «Барселона - лучший город в мире из тех, где мне довелось пожить. Уровень жизни там на высоком уровне, - заявил Фабрегас. - Климат Лондона далек от идеального, но в то же время здесь есть очень красивые места. Думаю, когда я закончу карьеру, то все-таки буду жить в Барселоне».

«Я никогда не скрывал того факта, что хочу вернуться в «Барсу». Когда мне было девять месяцев, то мой дедушка впервые взял меня на матч «Барселоны», и с тех пор я болею за каталонский клуб, - цитирует Сеска goal.com. - Так сложилось, что в свое время мне пришлось уехать оттуда, но никто не знает, что ждет нас в будущем».

В то же время главная надежда болельщиков «канониров» признался, что пока никто не обращался к нему по вопросу перехода в другой клуб, и поведал о своих ближайших планах: «Никто нам не звонил - ни мне, ни моему агенту. Нынче я пребываю в своей наилучшей форме, и мне бы хотелось сохранить ее. У «Арсенала» впереди еще несколько месяцев тяжелой борьбы, и мы неплохо выглядим в нынешнем сезоне. Хотелось бы удачно сыграть в матчах Премьер-лиги и Лиги чемпионов, дабы приехать на мировое первенство в хорошей форме».

Среди других новостей пятницы стоит выделить сообщение о том, что Фернандо Гаго почти наверняка продолжит карьеру в «Манчестер Сити». Дела у аргентинского опорника в мадридском «Реале» идут все хуже, а наставник «горожан» Роберто Манчини не устает восторгаться умениями 23-летнего хавбека: «Гаго хорош в «Реале», он фантастический игрок, и мы постараемся приобрести его летом», - приводит слова итальянского специалиста The Guardian.

“If you win the League Cup you cannot say you win trophies for me,” he said.

In his most impassioned defence yet of Arsenal’s recent record, Wenger also argued that the club’s Champions League performances over the past decade were worth far more than winning the Carling Cup over and over again. Arsenal have not won any silverware since the 2005 FA Cup.

“We’re here to win trophies, but it depends on what you call trophies,” said Wenger.

“Is it the Champions League, the Premier League, the League Cup? We’ve just qualified from the group stage in the Champions League for the tenth consecutive season.

"That, for me, is three times as difficult as winning the League Cup five times. I know what’s difficult and what’s not.”

Asked if third place in the Premier League was better than winning the FA Cup or Carling Cup, he added: “Of course. It’s much more difficult. I want to win trophies and, like the fans, I’m frustrated if I don’t. But it doesn’t mean the rest of the season has been completely useless.

“A season does not go from fantastic to zero. A season in the English league when you fight with Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa to finish in the top three is still not a disaster.”

Wenger’s remarks are unlikely to meet with universal approval from Arsenal fans, the Football Association or the Football League, but do suggest a deep frustration that his team’s recent achievements have been undervalued.

Real Madrid are the only other club to have qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League in each of the past 10 years, while Arsenal have also made the quarter-finals or better in three of the past four seasons.

Wenger, though, remains bullish about his team’s ability to recover the current deficit in the Premier League and, unlike Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, does not regard the match against Chelsea as decisive.

“After these games, we don’t play Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool, Villa and Everton because we have played them all twice,” said Wenger.

“If we are in contact coming out of these games, we will be in a very strong position. Being six points behind is not dramatic. The players always have that kind of fear, they analyse the difference a bit more. We were 11 points behind Chelsea at the end of November, why should we give up if we’re nine behind?”

Against that optimism, Arsenal have beaten Chelsea just twice in 15 matches since the quarter-final of the 2004 Champions League.

Wenger pointed to a psychological hurdle that his team needed to overcome. “Because they haven’t won yet they have made it harder in their head than it really is,” said Wenger.

“When we get close to winning we play with the handbrake. They do have to find that final part to win the big games. I see them every day and I wouldn’t defend them if they didn’t have the right attitude.”

Abou Diaby will have a fitness test on Saturday.