Wenger: We can still catch United - 7M sport

Wenger: We can still catch United



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Posted Monday, April 11, 2011 by thesun.co.uk

Wenger: We can still catch United
ALL SMILES ... third goal scorer Van Persie and team-mate Nasri

A RELIEVED Arsene Wenger saw Arsenal cut Manchester United's lead to seven points and insisted: This title race is not over.

The Gunners won for the first time in six matches to keep their faltering season alive.

Goals from Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Eboue and Robin van Persie were enough to see off Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

And Wenger admitted their hopes of catching the leaders would have been over if they had failed to take all three points at the seaside.

He said: "Only three points could help us to keep a chance here.

"We have promised to give everything for the rest of the season and seven games is a long time.

"People forget we are on a long unbeaten league run now, even if we haven't won recently. So it was important to get the win again and we have to go from game to game now."

Wenger hopes it could work to Arsenal's advantage that they have only one piece of silverware to think about - the Prem - while United are still hunting a Treble.

He said: "We can maintain it, because now we have a week's rest. Then we play Liverpool on Sunday and Tottenham on the Wednesday after and we will play 100 per cent to win the games."

The Emirates chief hopes the Gunners have now put a tough period behind them, following their Champions League exit, and that they are over their blip.

He added: "That hurt and was a massive disappointment and you go through a period of grief and denial.

"Then you have to start showing that you have the mental strength to respond and the team has done that remarkably well."

Wenger was forced to throw 41-year-old keeper Jens Lehmann back into action, after Manuel Almunia pulled out at late notice with a knee injury.

The German did well, though he gave Gunners fans a scare with a foul that could have led to a red card had Blackpool not scored from their advantage.

Wenger admitted: "The only concern was we had no goalkeeper on the bench if something had happened to Jens. It was the important split-second of the game and I felt Jens played the ball.

"So even if he had given away a penalty, it would have been a yellow card.

"He did well. His decision-making was spot-on but he didn't have a lot to do, in fairness, as we controlled the game quite well.

"But his commanding presence, his organising and his authority were all there and he was exceptionally good at set-pieces."



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