Wenger warns Gunners against complacency

Arsene Wenger insisted that Arsenal must still guard against complacency despite opening up a nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership.

The Arsenal boss admitted the title was now in his side’s control to win or lose after their 2-1 success at home to Charlton.

However, Wenger accepted that the Gunners had been fortunate to complete the victory, especially as Jonatan Johansson struck the post in the final minute, and was not getting carried away just yet.

After all, Arsenal’s victory against Charlton at this stage of this season last year left them eight points clear, albeit having played a game more – only for Manchester United to overhaul them.

Wenger declared: “We’re in a good position but it’s far from being over yet. Seven games ago, we were three points behind Manchester United and there are still 11 to go.

“We still have tricky games at Fulham, Tottenham, Newcastle and Blackburn, and, after the battle in the second-half here, I would certainly not think that the championship is over. Far from it.

“The only good thing is that it’s down to how well we play and how well we keep things going.

“When we’re in this position, everyone will say it’s done and then the tendency is to lose that a bit of the edge and sharpness that’s needed in every game.

“You could become tense if people say you could only lose it. You just have to focus on the next game and forget all the rest.”

Arsenal may have taken their unbeaten run since the start of the season to 27 games with goals within the first four minutes by Robert Pires – his 50th for the club – and Thierry Henry.

However, they relaxed on their lead and allowed Claus Jensen to pull a goal back with a 60th-minute free-kick before substitute Johansson struck the post.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley was also left confused by the interpretation of the offside law as he believed there were doubts over the validity of both of Arsenal’s goals.

“I don’t want to make it sound like sour grapes but you work all week and try to prepare, and we just didn’t do it,” he said.

“I’m also convinced that Pires’ goal was offside. I’ve seen a replay of it and Pires was the other side of Luke Young when the ball was played. You see it so many times that the linesman can’t take it all in.

“For the second, I’m completely at a loss over this offside rule as I thought Henry was five yards offside when the ball was played into Vieira.

“Then he was inactive but when it was crossed, he suddenly became active. We’ve been undone by it and maybe it’s up to us at Charlton to exploit it a bit now.”

Curbishley nevertheless admitted that it would be hard to imagine any side catching Arsenal, with a nine-point lead over both Chelsea and United.

“You can’t see anyone stopping them but they lost it last year, or Manchester United won it.

“It will take one hell of a run to catch them now but perhaps the hunger and disappointment from last season may take them to it,” he said.

Wenger was simply relieved his side hung on for victory after dominating the first-half completely.

“When our energy dropped in the second-half, we lost our fluency and control, and became edgy and nervous,” he said.

“We have learned a bit but I still feel we can learn to be even sharper. We had such domination that we lost a bit of the killer instinct.”