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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that while his team are still in the Premier League title race, only Chelsea can lose it, and insists Jose Mourinho's attempts to dismiss his team's chances are because he is scared to fail.
The Gunners face Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday looking to make amends for their 5-1 thrashing against the same team at Anfield in the league last week, and are now one point behind leaders Jose Mourinho's side in the division. Manchester City sit two points behind Arsenal, but have a game in hand.
Both Mourinho and City manager Manuel Pellegrini, though, have attempted to distance themselves from the idea they are the favourites to win the title this season, and Wenger had a swift response to their cautious attitude.
"It is fear to fail," Wenger said in his press briefing today. "The title race is very open, only Chelsea can lose it now because they are in front."
Wenger maintains his only focus will be on making sure Arsenal can finish above their rivals come May.
"If you're not in the race you cannot lose it, if you declare yourself not in the race you cannot lose it, simple as that," he said.
"I think just that our job is to be ambitious and to try to win, if we do not win to take full responsibility for that. That's as simple as that and that's how I see it.
Show all 8 1 /8The European teams that can still win the treble this season The European teams that can still win the treble this season Arsenal Arsenal bounced back in style to beat Liverpool 2-1 at the Emirates on Sunday and go through to the FA Cup quarter finals, just nine days after being humiliated 5-1 by Brendan Rogers’ side. Things don’t get much easier for the Gunners however, having drawn in-form Everton in the next round. Arsene Wenger’s side currently sit second in the Premier League, one point behind Chelsea but arguably have the toughest run in of the top teams, with games still to play against Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City and Everton. They then face last year’s champions Bayern Munich in Round of 16 in the Champions League. Arsenal have the toughest set of fixtures of any of the English teams and have been unlucky with the draws in every cup this year. With their injury hit squad lacking any adequate January replacements, it will be a tough ask to get one trophy, let along three.
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The European teams that can still win the treble this season Manchester City If anyone has the squad to cope with fighting on three (or four) fronts, it’s Man City. Third in the league and stuttering a bit just of late, City must still be favourites to lift the trophy. City overcame the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea recently to knock Jose Mourinho’s men out of the FA Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory and set up a repeat of last year’s final against Wigan in the quarter finals. They now face the unenviable task of taking on Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16. With the matter of a League Cup Final against Sunderland still to be decided, Manuel Pellegrini’s men will be pushed to their limits but with the resources at their disposal, City have a great chance of claiming plenty of silverware come the end of the season. The domestic treble is definitely on the cards but the home tie against Barcelona on Tuesday will go a long way to seeing if they can even go on and complete an unprecedented quadruple.
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The European teams that can still win the treble this season Barcelona In the tightest La Liga title race for years, Barcelona are holding the top spot by goal difference only. The league promises a thrilling conclusion with Barca or either of the Madrid sides looking capable of taking the crown. A tight but ultimately satisfactory 2-1 aggregate victory over Real Sociedad has set up an El Clasico Cope del Rey final against Real. In arguably the pick of the Round of 16 ties, Messi and co will face up against the riches of Man City, with whoever emerges victorious have a great chance of going all the way. Barcelona have tough competition for all three trophies but with their fire-power, it’s a very real possibility.
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The European teams that can still win the treble this season Bayern Munich Bayern Munich were in imperious form last year and made a clean sweep of all four trophies they had on offer and this year could well bring the same rewards. Bayern are currently top of the league by 13 points and are a shoe in for the title. In the cup, they demolished Hamburg 5-0 in the quarter finals and now meet FC Kaiserslartern, who saw off Bayer Leverkusen, in the semis. The German champions will face up against Arsenal in the Champions League in a repeat of last year’s tie at the same stage. Bayern are in superb form and have arguably the best squad in Europe, they must be confident of lifting plenty of silverware again this year and all three trophies is certainly within their reach.
The European teams that can still win the treble this season Borussia Dortmund The only other German side capable of winning the treble is Borussia Dortmund, albeit very unlikely. They look destined to finish well behind Bayern in the league, currently sitting in third and a massive 17 points off the pace. Their eggs might be in the DFB-Pokal Cup basket with a semi-final match against Wolfsburg to look forward to. They meet Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League Round of 16 in an interesting looking tie. Dortmund must surely be focusing on their cup competitions with Bayern looking certain for the league title again but Jurgen Klopp’s side could well have a big say in the outcomes of the German Cup and Champions League.
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The European teams that can still win the treble this season Real Madrid Locked in the tightest La Liga season there has been for many a year, Real Madrid have as good a chance as any of lifting the trophy when all is said and done. They are level on points with both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with only goal difference separating the three. Real swept aside their city rivals in the Copa del Rey though, going through with a 5-0 aggregate victory over Atletico and setting up a showpiece final with Barca. They meet German side Schalke in the next round of Champions League ties and with Ronaldo, Bale and the rest they must be confident of victory. Real, perhaps, have the greatest weapons in Spanish football at the moment and will be confident of one piece of silverware at very least, it may well be all three.
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The European teams that can still win the treble this season Olympiakos An outside chance for a treble but Greek side Olympiakos are still in the running to claim all three. They are in complete control of the league, sitting 20 points clear of second. A 1-1 draw over two legs against Atromitos was enough to see them go through to the semi-finals on away goals. Michel’s side then face up against Manchester United in the Champions League and will be confident of causing an upset giving United’s uncertain form this season. The Greek champions look certain to retain their league title and a cup win is in their hands too but a Champions League success must be a step too far.
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The European teams that can still win the treble this season Zenit St Petersburg With Russian league football still on their long winter break, Zenit are still top of the league but only by goal difference from Lokomotiv Moskva. With the Russian cup competition yet to get under way, Zenit can focus on facing Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16 in the Champions League. Zenit have a powerful squad laden with quality with the likes of Hulk, Danny and Andrei Arshavin but may be lacking that match sharpness needed at the highest level. If they can get past Dortmund and make it into the quarter finals of Europe’s top competition and then have a little bit of luck in the draw, they could go far.
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"I say yes we are in it, yes we will have a go for it, we will absolutely give everything to go for it and if we don't do I will take responsibility for it, but I just see it like that."
Wenger added: "We live in a league and in a country where we have one advantage - everybody can think what he wants, [but] it is very difficult when you're first in the league to distract people."
On the Champions League front, Arsenal face the daunting prospect of Bayern Munich in the first-leg of the first knockout round on Wednesday.
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