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Camden Sports - RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 23 December 2008

‘Nothing is won or lost in December’ – Wenger

Liverpool will slip and Gunners will ‘fight till the end’

MANCHESTER United’s Rio Ferdinand may have written Arsenal out of the Premiership title race already, but Liverpool – after escaping with an edgy draw at the Emirates Stadium – have warned: Don’t forget about the Gunners.
The Anfield club’s assistant manager Sammy Lee, standing in for Rafa Benitez, who is in hospital with kidney stones, said it would be dangerous to rule out Arsenal from delivering a late title charge even though they are eight points adrift of the Merseysiders.
“To come to a place like Arsenal and get a draw is a good result,” said Lee. “I don’t think we have knocked Arsenal out of the championship race, I have too much respect for them to say that. I wouldn’t want to say that because they are a terrific football club. Arsenal showed great quality against us and a lot of credit should go to them. They have a lot of quality throughout and no way are Arsenal out of this championship race.”
A point shared on Sunday was a better result for Liverpool. Previously this season, Arsenal have made up for draws and defeats against the smaller clubs by shocking the top teams and a win would have been the perfect tonic to last week’s dismal draw at Middlesbrough.
The stakes are running high now as the Gunners face a Boxing Day encounter against fourth placed Aston Villa, the team threatening to steal their place in next season’s Champions League.
It promises to be a tough test for Arsenal, who travel to Villa Park without the suspended Emmanuel Adebayor and injured captain Cesc Fabregas.
Lee said: “Arsene Wenger isn’t a bad one to copy. He’s done a great job. I don’t know anything that has been won or lost in December.”
His comments were in contrast to Rio Ferdinand who earlier this month said the championship would be fought by his United team, Chelsea and Liverpool.
But Lee’s kind words were not reciprocated by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who predicted Liverpool would “drop many points”.
While those who believe his team can bring together a title-winning sequence of victories are declining, Wenger remains characteristically stubborn about his young guns’ chances.
He said: “We are not out of the race because the title is won in May and we are in December.
“Mathematically we will fight until the end. I believe Liverpool will drop many points. I am convinced of that.
“They had four draws at home. That means they dropped eight points, why shouldn’t they drop eight more in the second half of the season?”

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