ARSENAL 2 CHARLTON 0: Highbury fortress holds the key to the title race
Yes, we know there's a long way to go and anything can still happen, and of course you'd expect Arsene Wenger to trot out the old line about 'only looking ahead as far as the next game', but I think the words 'Man United at home' might just be pencilled down, and underlined, in the diary of the Arsenal boss who, privately at least, views the weekend of April 14/15 as the defining moment of the Premiership campaign.
Whilst Newcastle fans could be forgiven for slamming down their Newky Brown bottles in anger at being overlooked as genuine title contenders, I still believe the championship race is between Arsenal and United and I', confident enough, or daft enough, to predict that the Highbury showdown between the big two next month will have a massive bearing on the title race, and might even decide the destination of the Premiership crown.
A Wenger comment after yesterday's 2-0 win against Charlton suggests he might be daring to think along the same lines as he said, pointedly: "We feel it's down to Highbury as we still have four games at home, including Manchester United." Personally, I think that, barring an almighty Gunners' collapse, which I can't see happening, and given the games Arsenal face on the run-in AFTER the United clash - Middlesbrough (a), Bolton (a), Leeds (h) and Sunderland (a) - the Wenger boys have got it in the bag.
Of course, Arsene would never be so bold as to make such a statement but he seems confident enough at the minute that his side has the resolve and the desire to retain the title and, possibly, leave United empty-handed again. After Francis Jeffers and Robert Pires had set up a comfortable victory against the Premiership's form team, Wenger stated: "The only thing I know is that the team will give everything to do it again - and you could see that.
"I've been confident all season and now we're in a good position with a good points total and we want to do it again. There's still a long way to go - nine games, including some difficult games - so we wanted to extend our lead and we did that. We went into the game with the sense that Highbury will be important. But I wouldn't rule Newcastle out as our main opponents because don't forget Manchester United have to go there."
"I've been confident all season and now we're in a good position with a good points total and we want to do it again. There's still a long way to go - nine games, including some difficult games - so we wanted to extend our lead and we did that. We went into the game with the sense that Highbury will be important. But I wouldn't rule Newcastle out as our main opponents because don't forget Manchester United have to go there."
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley seemed to go along with the Wenger view that Highbury holds the key to the outcome of the title race and ventured that teams, like his, go along to the North London fortress and are beaten 'before they get off the bus'. Curbishley reckons his side showed the Gunners too much respect yesterday and added: "We talked about this in the dressing room. At this moment in time, Arsenal are perhaps like the great Manchester United and Liverpool sides which won everything. Their reputation precedes them.
"Arsenal are up there with those great sides. They're on the television all the time and all the players who come here know who they'll be playing against. But you have to take that on board and dismiss it. Arsenal thwarted everything we fashioned and I can't deny they deserved the victory and could have got a few more goals."
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Do you agree with Smudger that Arsenal have got the title 'in the bag' or is he being far too premature? Send your views on the race for the Premiership title to smudger@givemefootball.com
