Wenger relishing Vieira-Gerrard duel

Arsene Wenger is licking his lips at the prospect of Patrick Vieira and Steven Gerrard engaging in midfield combat when Arsenal travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

Captain Vieira was one of two Gunners sent off during the midweek Champions League draw against PSV Eindhoven, but the Frenchman remains Wenger’s talisman.

He retains the armband as Arsenal look to kick-start their Barclays Premiership title challenge, which has stuttered in recent weeks.

Following the defeat at Manchester United on October 24, which ended their unbeaten 49-match league run, Arsenal have picked up just six points from four league matches and have surrendered their lead at the top of the table to Chelsea.

Wenger maintains his men are fully “focused”, however, and he has every confidence in Vieira’s ability, as well as his temperament, as Sunday’s trip to Anfield looms.

“Patrick missed pre-season, he worked very hard to come back and when he was at his best against Aston Villa, he got injured,” said the Arsenal manager.

“He wants to help and play for the team. He was a bit within himself for a couple of games, but now he is okay.

“I support him highly. I have regular conversations with Patrick and he is highly committed and motivated.

“He played the last few weeks with an ankle problem and I feel in these last two games he has been back to normal level.”

Liverpool skipper Gerrard has also just returned following two months out with a broken foot.

While the Reds’ midweek defeat to Monaco in the Champions League was probably not the dream comeback the Liverpool midfielder would have been hoping for, the opportunity to lock horns with Vieira is sure to be one he will relish.

Wenger reflected: “I rate Steven Gerrard highly. I think he is a great player as well, at the level of Patrick.

“Like Patrick he is one of the best midfielders in the world.”

Wenger added: “Liverpool play with a strong midfield, it is an area they concentrate on, so with the way we play, it certainly will have a big influence on the game.”

Gerrard, 24, recently signed a new deal with Liverpool following interest from Chelsea during the summer.

And Wenger would not be surprised if the Stamford Bridge outfit were to come in for him again.

“Chelsea will, sooner or later, take who they want, so that might mean it is only a temporary decision, I don’t know,” he said.

The Arsenal manager, however, maintained he was not concerned about the Blues trying to lure away any of his top men during the January transfer window.

“It is not a worry. We don’t need any money,” declared Wenger.

“Our players are committed to the club and we share something here which is special and we aspire to become stronger and bigger, and the players are part of that.

“I find it exciting and interesting to fight against a team who has a much bigger potential financially and then still to beat them.”

Wenger admits Arsenal face a crucial game on Sunday, and it is one they could have to go into without the services of striker Thierry Henry, who is rated as “70/30” by his manager to pass a late fitness test on a calf problem.

Robin van Persie and Jose Antonio Reyes are also carrying knee injuries and will all be put through their paces tomorrow in a bid to prove their fitness.

The Arsenal manager, nevertheless, is in no doubt his squad is “back on track” in their quest for further success.

“We were a little bit flat in the way we played against Southampton and Crystal Palace, then against Tottenham we were starting again to play at our normal level,” said Wenger.

“We look to get one step up higher every time.

“I think the whole team is back on track and focused to try and achieve something.”

He added: “The way we have played has improved in the last two or three games. I feel the focus is back and that the quality of our games is back.

“We played against a difficult Eindhoven side, and we took the initiative, tried to play and I thought we did played quite well.

“I am convinced if we had stayed with 10 or 11 men we would have won the game, so I am quite happy with the game we played on Wednesday.

“We had a bit of everything – our defending on set-pieces was a little bit sloppy at the start, then the Arsenal strength with a good passing game and then the good Arsenal spirit when we were down to nine men, so I feel that it was very positive.”