Proud Wenger hails young Gunners’ title tilt at big boys

ARSENE WENGER insists Arsenal should not be “ashamed” by their efforts this season – whatever the outcome of the Premier League title race.

Manchester United moved back to within a point of leaders Chelsea following a 3-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday night, albeit now having played a match more.

The third-placed Gunners are currently six points off the pace with 11 games left.

While Wenger’s youngsters may have come up short in the direct clashes against the top two this season, the remaining fixtures appear to be kind to the Gunners.

Chelsea, meanwhile, host top-four contenders Manchester City on Saturday, and travel to Old Trafford next month. Wenger – whose side trail Porto 2-1 from the first leg of their Champions League clash last week – maintains that given Arsenal’s relative little comparable investment, to still be in the hunt for the top prizes is an achievement in itself.

“There are three clubs in the fight for the championship – when you see how much money the others have invested, we have not to be ashamed,” Wenger said.

“There are two main trophies in our job – the Champions League and the Premier League; today, we can still win them both.

“In addition, the club is in a healthy situation and we have a fantastic young side.

“If that is still not enough, I can understand, but we are fighting very hard to deliver.

“I believe that Arsenal fans can be very proud of their club, and that is at least what we try to give them – pride.”

Wenger added: “We were all bitterly disappointed against Manchester United and Chelsea, but at the end of the day, we had the sprit to respond.

“If we had just drawn both of those games, we would be in an unbelievable position, so we are very close – let’s give everything in the final games and we will see.”

Wenger, though, has little time for pundits who have already written off his team’s chances of a first trophy since 2005.

“Regardless of outside perceptions, we share a great optimism here about the season,” he said.

“What other people think is less important – what happens here is the deciding factor, along with how much belief we put into our game.

“We are in a fantastic position and it is now about how we turn it our way.”

Wenger added: “The mathematics are easy – we just have to win our games. In the position we are in, we do not need to calculate – the best way is to win one game, and then win the next one.”

Meanwhile Holland coach Bert van Marwijk claims Robin van Persie could be back in action at the start of April after receiving a positive update on the Arsenal forward’s recovery from an ankle injury.

Van Persie’s club believe the 26-year-old will be back at the end of April, rather than the start of that month, and only if everything in his rehabilitation goes to plan following ligament damage suffered in November.

Both scenarios represent a decent outcome considering the fears of Wenger at the time of the injury, with the Frenchman stopping just short of writing off Van Persie’s chances of playing again in the campaign.

“I spoke to him on the phone last week and he is improving all the time and feeling better,” Van Marwijk said. “You can hear it in his voice that he feels he is improving.

“I hope that he will play at the beginning of April and he feels this is maybe possible.”

Meanwhile Abou Diaby (knee), William Gallas (calf), Andrey Arshavin and Eduardo (both hamstring) are fighting to be fit for Saturday’s late kick-off at Stoke.