Soccer: Arsenal have point to prove

Arsenal must take a point from their two remaining Premiership games at Newcastle and Southampton to secure the second Champions League place.

It looks a reasonable task for an Arsenal side which, despite a poor away record, has suffered only seven league defeats all season.

But Arsene Wenger has to weigh up what effect Saturday's FA Cup nightmare has had on the squad.

Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp admits he was "gutted" to learn he was only on the substitutes' bench after battling to prove his fitness following six weeks out with an Achilles tendon injury.

He was only called upon in the 90th minute to replace full-back Lee Dixon after Arsenal had gone 2-1 behind and the Dutchman admitted: "I barely had the chance to touch the ball.

"The team effort comes first and I had to accept the manager's selection, but it was a very disappointing day all round.

"As you can imagine, I don't want to talk about it too much, but it was not exactly what my FA Cup dream was made of."

Wenger, however, gave the front-line vote to French pair Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord, the latter finally being replaced by midfielder Ray Parlour as Arsenal sought to shore up their narrow lead.

Meanwhile, Cameroon international midfielder Lauren, who cost £7million when he moved to Highbury from Spain's Real Mallorca in the summer, did not get a run-out at all.

Another Frenchman, Gilles Grimandi, was preferred to him in midfield and said: "It was a devastating blow to lose after we had looked certain to win.

"It seemed a long, quiet journey back to London. Even Tony Adams did not say much."

Now Wenger has to decide whether to make changes at St James' Park on Tuesday.

He will want to take the vital point still needed before Saturday's trip to The Dell, where Southampton will be making their final appearance before moving to a new stadium at nearby St Mary's next season.

Saints' 2-1 victory over Manchester United yesterday showed how much they are determined to bow out from their old home in style.

The fear for Arsenal is that should they fail to add any more points to their Premiership total of 69 they could be pipped for second place by none other than Liverpool, who are just three points behind with a superior goal difference.