THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON — Only one thing can keep Arsenal in contention for a trophy this season — a victory at Manchester United on Sunday.
After exiting the Champions League to Liverpool on Tuesday, the Gunners need to win at Old Trafford against the Premier League leader (11 a.m. ET) if they are to have any realistic chance of wresting the title from United’s grip.
But Arsenal has already lost 4-0 at United in the FA Cup this season and needed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium in November’s previous Premier League encounter.
With morale low after a five-point lead turned into a six-point deficit in less than two months, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger faces one of his toughest ever tasks when he tries to make his players believe they can win.
"He will talk about that for sure," Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor said. "We will meet in the dressing room and he will tell us what to do.
"He has more experience than anyone here, and he knows the words to use so that we can come back on the pitch, be more successful, and want it more."
But that reliance on Wenger, who has won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups in 11 years at Arsenal, because of a lack of experience on the field could be what costs Arsenal a shot at success this season.
Wenger has spurned the chance to spend the club’s reserves of cash on new players, preferring to rely upon the young talent he has brought through the youth teams.
The move paid dividends for the first six months of the season as the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor produced some of the most vibrant and penetrating soccer of the Premier League’s 16-year history.
Unbeaten in the league until December, Arsenal’s season disintegrated following a pair of cup defeats to two of its fiercest rivals.
Tottenham routed Arsenal 5-1 in a Carling Cup semifinal in January and United then beat the Gunners 4-0 in the FA Cup less than a month later.
Wenger’s decision to field weakened teams in both matches seemed to have backfired because of the hit taken by the squad’s confidence. Arsenal, which has not won the league since its unbeaten season of 2003-04, has won just two of its next 11 matches — a run that culminated with Tuesday’s loss at Anfield.
"We were so close to the Champions League semifinals but football decided it the other way," Adebayor said. "As a player, these things are very difficult to take. We scored, it was 2-2 with only a few minutes to go and I do not know how they managed to get a penalty.
"You can imagine it … within seven minutes we were in the semifinal. Then that all went away."
And Arsenal’s chances looked even slimmer Thursday when key midfielder Mathieu Flamini was ruled out for three weeks because of an ankle injury he sustained against Liverpool.
United, meanwhile, is flying after beating AS Roma 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League semifinals.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney should be fresh after being rested against the Italian league title contender, and United got another boost when captain Gary Neville came on as a late substitute after more than a year out injured.
"Missing the end of last season was bad," Neville said. "So it’s good to be back to help the team now. People kept asking me when I was coming back and it was a bit embarrassing.
"I’d try and give them a date and then it wouldn’t materialize. But the fans have always supported me."
Victory is just as important for United since Chelsea is only three points back in second place and hosts lowly Wigan on Monday.
Chelsea is coming off a 2-0 win over Fenerbahce that put it into a Champions League semifinal against Liverpool, and is looking dangerous since it continues to win without playing well.
The Blues host United on April 26.
In Saturday’s other matches, Reading can just about secure its place in next season’s Premier League if it beats visiting Fulham (Rogers Sportsnet, 10 a.m. ET), which is 19th in the 20-team standings and looking likely to get relegated.
Bolton needs to beat visiting West Ham (Setanta Sports Canada, 8:30 p.m. ET, tape) to boost its chances of staying up, while struggling Birmingham hosts Everton (Setanta Sports Canada, 4:45 p.m. ET, tape).
Tottenham hosts Middlesbrough (Setanta Sports Canada, 10 a.m. ET), Portsmouth is at home to Newcastle (Setanta Sports Canada, Noon ET), Sunderland entertains Manchester City, and Derby hosts Aston Villa (Setanta Sports Canada, 10 p.m. ET, tape).
Liverpool hosts Blackburn in Sunday’s other match (Setanta Sports Canada, 8:30 a.m. ET).