Arsenal can still win the league, insists defiant Gallas
Champions Manchester United have moved five points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table and six clear of third-placed Arsenal, but must face both title rivals in the run-in.
Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Avram Grant’s side on Sunday leaves them reflecting on a woeful run of form that has seen them manage just four points from the last 15.
All three sides remain in contention for the Champions League, and the Frenchman hopes a busy schedule takes its toll on the top two.
“We can still win it.’’ Gallas insisted. We have to believe and give everything until the end. It will be difficult for us to come back because Manchester United now have a six point lead.”
“But we have to. We must play until the end of the season and then see. Maybe they can drop some points because of the Champions League, and they can be tired, Chelsea too.’’
Arsenal still have to play Manchester United, but before then they must also face Bolton at the Reebok Stadium, and Liverpool at the Emirates.
Judging by recent form, they can not take those six points for granted before heading to Old Trafford on April 13.
Wenger’s young outfit seem to have lost the focus that has put them amongst the title contenders, but Gallas believes they are not getting the rub of the green, either.
“You never know, you can be back,” the arsenal captain said. “They can lose some points and we have to be ready for the next game and not give up.
“It was difficult to accept we lost to Chelsea, because we scored the first goal and then they equalised. Maybe we deserved to win, because before they scored we controlled the game and were very sharp. But after their goal, we went down. From then on it was really difficult for us to be strong.
“We made some mistakes, and normally we do not do things like this. But if you do not have the luck, it is not easy.
“But that is football. We have to forget about everything now and be focused for the next game. We have to accept it.”
Gallas spent five years of his career at Chelsea, before leaving for Arsenal in a deal that took Ashley Cole to Stamford Bridge in 2006. He was the victim of abuse throughout his latest run-out in west London, and decided to hurl his shirt into the Arsenal end of the ground at full-time.
Gallas does not want the gesture to be taken out of context as Arsenal head into the final stretch of the campaign.
“I was saying nothing,” he insisted. “They (the Arsenal fans) had come here supporting us and for them it was difficult to accept we lost, so I gave them my shirt.
“But it was nothing special. I did it before, did it here and maybe will do it in the next game. We know our supporters are there for us all the time, and that it is difficult for them to see us lose.”
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