Robin van Persie: Cup blows could help Arsenal win the Premier League

Posted Wednesday, March 23, 2011 by theguardian.com

• 'It's an advantage we're no longer active in other competitions'
• Striker hopes Arsenal have learned from losing Cup final

Robin van Persie: Cup blows could help Arsenal win the Premier League
Robin van Persie celebrates scoring the equaliser for Arsenal against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Robin van Persie insists that being knocked out of three competitions in three weeks will be an "advantage" as Arsenal try to win a first major trophy for six years.

In recent weeks Arsène Wenger's side have lost the Carling Cup final and exited the Champions League and the FA Cup. On Saturday they could only draw 2-2 at West Bromwich Albion to lose ground in the Premier League on Manchester United, who defeated Bolton Wanderers 1-0.

Arsenal stand five points behind United having a game in hand and Van Persie said: "It is a real blow that we threw away three trophies within the space of only three weeks. However, we still have another big objective and that is winning the Premier League title. We are five points behind Manchester United but have a game in hand, so we can narrow the gap to two points.

"It is actually an advantage that we are no longer active in other competitions, so we won't get distracted. We still have everything in our own hands and will do our utmost to win the league title, even though we have been dealt a few big blows in recent weeks.

"This is football. These kinds of things are all part of the game," he added. "Birmingham [City] beat us in the final, but then lost the following four league games. The Premier League has been absolutely crazy this year. I hope that we learned something from the lost final, but you never know whether you actually did. When something goes wrong the first time, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will go better the next time."