I never really believed we'd do it, says Wenger

ARSENE WENGER admitted he didn't believe his Arsenal side could go through an entire Premiership season unbeaten.

Wenger was inaccurately quoted as having claimed the Gunners could go unbeaten last season, but he has since maintained this was merely a case of setting his team an ambitious goal.

This time around, he has deliberately been far more cautious in public, but not his team stand on the brink of an historic achievement.

Staying unbeaten for their first 36 games of their title-winning season, they travel to Fulham tomorrow for their biggest remaining test.

While Leicester are due to visit north London in the final game of the season, Chris Coleman's side, who achieved a draw at Highbury earlier this season, could still interrupt their run.

Wenger declared: "We don't want to lose a game now but football is football. You can be in front of a marathon and then someone can catch you with just 500 yards to go. It's part of it.

"What we have done until now, in winning the title without losing a game, is tremendous. But at least we want to give it our best shot until the end. Nobody talks about the unbeaten run in the dressing room."

Wenger will nevertheless resist the temptation to give experience to a host of younger players, even though David Bentley made his first Premiership start at Fratton Park.

"If there was no record at stake, I could bring in four or five players," he said, although Martin Keown will again appear as a substitute as he bids to qualify for a winner's medal.

The 37-year-old former England defender is expected to leave Arsenal this summer in a search for regular first-team action.

"There is no definite decision that has been made, but Martin might leave," revealed Wenger.

"Kanu has also not been sorted out and Sylvain Wiltord not completely sorted out, while Dennis Bergkamp has not been sorted out either."

While Bergkamp is set to sign a final one-year deal, Kanu and Wiltord are expected to leave on free transfers, with Wiltord, who is out of contract this summer, said to be in talks with Werder Bremen.