Upbeat Wenger insists Arsenal’s moment has come

ARSENE WENGER insists the “moment has come” for his Arsenal side as the Gunners prepare to face Premier League leaders Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

The Gunners – who have a match in hand on their title rivals – will be looking to close an eight-point gap on the Blues after slipping further off the pace in the wake of last weekend’s lacklustre defeat at Sunderland.

Confidence within Wenger’s squad remains high after they returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Standard Liege in midweek to book a safe passage through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

“Everyone will look at the game to rate our potential, and I have no worries about that,” said the Arsenal boss.

“We are ready for the game, are well focused, prepared and the confidence is good.

“We just want to focus on the game like we want to play it.”

Wenger declared: “It is a big test, yes – but that is what you want, to play these teams.

“I think there is a period for any team to come out and show its strengths. For my team, this moment has come.

“We are not any more a team that has to be considered to be young.

“I think we have the strengths and we can show that on Sunday that we are strong enough to compete.”

Arsenal, though, must take on the Premier League leaders still missing striker Robin van Persie and full-back Kieran Gibbs, while centre-back William Gallas is rated as only 50/50 to face his former club.

England U21 defender Gibbs is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after suffering his latest setback during the closing stages of the win over Liege on Tuesday night.

Gibbs had been scheduled to fill in for Gael Clichy, out with a back problem, so Armand Traore, who had a spell on loan at Portsmouth last season, will deputise.

Even with Arsenal’s defensive reshuffle, Wenger knows full well whoever is in the backline tomorrow will face a stern examination from Didier Drogba and former Gunner Nicolas Anelka.

“You know they are a good side and to beat them, you have to deliver a good performance,” said the Arsenal boss.

“They are a strong side and have a good manager in Carlo Ancelotti, but I still believe that despite all that, we can still beat them.

“Let us expect them to be strong on the day, and then let us be stronger.”

Wenger, meanwhile, feels Anelka still “loves” Arsenal – even if the Chelsea striker will be out to dent his former club’s title hopes tomorrow.

Anelka, now 30, joined the Gunners as a 17-year-old in February 1997 from Paris St Germain and, following an injury to Ian Wright, went on to help them win the Double in 1998, scoring against Newcastle at Wembley.

Eleven years on Anelka has struck up a decent partnership with Drogba at the Blues, with his goal in the Champions League win at Porto taking his current tally to six ahead of tomorrow’s showdown with the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger always remained in touch with Anelka, and revealed he had often considered bringing the striker back to Arsenal.

“I was disappointed when he wanted to leave us, but the rest is down to him,” said Wenger.

“I always kept in touch with Nicolas because I like him and I still believe deeply that he has never lost touch with Arsenal. I believe he still loves this club. I always considered bringing him back at some stage, but it never worked because we always had strikers, and I was never a big fan of bringing old players back.”