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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was relieved on Thursday that a
wobbly home record had not been more costly and Chelsea captain John Terry was
glad his team were still in the Premier League title race despite a lack of
depth.

The season has so far been very forgiving as just three points
separate the top four, with unbeaten Manchester United on 34 points, two ahead
of Arsenal and Manchester City, and Chelsea in fourth on 31.

A busy festive schedule could shake things up and Chelsea travel
to Arsenal on Monday.

“The good news is that we are in a good position and we have not
paid a high price for that (three home defeats and five in total) but of course
our home form in the second part of the season will be the decider,” Wenger
told a news conference.

He gets the chance to put that drive for improved form at the
Emirates into practice against Chelsea, another team counting their blessings
after escaping stiffer punishment for poor results.

The champions, whose season started promisingly with 21 goals in
five consecutive victories, have imploded with no wins in their last five
league games and have found their squad under pressure with injuries to the
likes of midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Essien and Terry.

“In the past we had a big squad and could rotate and put other
players in, we don’t have that now, we have quite a young squad and it’s a time
for everyone to stay together like we always will,” Terry said on the club
website (www.chelseafc.com).

“Once we’ve turned that corner we can move on from there and
wait for other teams to slip up which they will do.

“We’ve missed some key players at key times and it is a case of
keeping everyone fit now over the Christmas period where we have two games in
three days.”

Hectic list

A hectic Christmas and New Year fixtures list gives some clubs
four games in little over a week, meaning there could finally be some daylight
between the top sides soon — something that was not lost on United manager
Alex Ferguson.

“If we are still top of the league by January 4 then we will
have done well,” he told a news conference.

“By that time the top of the league will have taken shape.
Depending on the weather of course, we could have a lot of postponements yet.”
Heavy snow and freezing temperatures have led to two of United’s league matches
being postponed this month. While they would have preferred to play them, last
Sunday’s postponement of their match at Chelsea was good timing as several
United players were suffering with flu.

Ferguson was optimistic Nemanja Vidic, Nani, Anderson and
Michael Carrick, who were laid low with the bug, will have recovered in time
for Sunday’s match at home to Sunderland.

Winger Nani may have been ill but he found time to irk Arsenal
by ruling out the Londoners as title contenders.

“I no longer see anybody winning the Premier League this season
outside of Manchester United or Chelsea. Hopefully, it will be United,” local
media quoted him as saying on Thursday.

Wenger poured cold water on the Portugal player’s view.

“I personally don’t know who will win the league and I’ve
managed 1,600 games,” he said. “So if Nani knows, he must be 1,600 times more
intelligent than I am.” Pull Quote: The good news is that we are in a good
position and we have not paid a high price for that (three home defeats and
five in total)