Arsenal under extra pressure to avoid five in a row
Mitch Phillips
Arsenal go into Sunday's premier league game at Fulham aiming to end a run of four successive defeats and well aware that another slip would leave Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the premier league.
Michael Owen got both Liverpool goals in the 2-0 home win over West Ham United at Anfield on Saturday that took them to 30 points from 12 games. Arsenal have 23 from 11 games with Manchester United on 22 from 12 after their 2-1 home win over Southampton.
The trip across London would not ordinarily hold any fears for the double winners -- last season they beat Fulham 4-1 and 3-1-- but having lost their last four games by the same 2-1 scoreline, two of them to mid-table Everton and Blackburn Rovers, the confidence has been dented.
Manager Arsene Wenger insists otherwise, of course, saying that the four-game streak is a minor blip.
"We have lost two Champions League games and two league games," he said.
"Fortunately the Champions League games had no influence on our future. (Arsenal have qualified for the second phase)
"As for the league games, if you played them 100 times we would win 98. I am not worried about the future of this team but we want to respond quickly at Fulham."
BERGKAMP TEST
Wenger will give a late fitness test to Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp, who is still struggling with an achilles problem, but welcomes back Patrick Vieira from suspension.
Fulham have had problems of their own in recent weeks as they followed up their 1-1 draw with Manchester United by losing to West Ham and Southampton and have slipped to 11th on 15 points.
However, they produced and impressive display to beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 away in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.
Facunda Sava is out with a calf injury while fellow striker Steve Marlet may not manage 90 minutes because of general tiredness.
The game at Loftus Road is just one of five being played on Sunday, with another London derby between Tottenham Hotspur (fifth) and Chelsea (fourth) at White Hart Lane the pick of the rest.
The teams both have 19 points but Chelsea have a terrific record over their north London rivals -- they are unbeaten at White Hart Lane in 15 years -- and will hope that Gianfranco Zola, the league's player of the month for October, can add to the eight goals he has to date.
Blackburn Rovers, a point back in seventh place, are at home to Aston Villa (15th) but are likely to be again without centre back Henning Berg.
COLE READY
The Norwegian missed Thursday's 1-0 UEFA Cup defeat at Celtic with an achilles problem but striker Andy Cole reported no reaction on his return after a hamstring lay-off and could start together with Dwight Yorke for the first time since September 15.
Leeds United against Everton in recent seasons has been a top v bottom match but for once it is the Merseysiders looking down on their Yorkshire rivals.
Everton, who ended Arsenal's 30-game unbeaten run two weeks ago and followed up with a 1-0 away win over West Ham last week, are eighth on 17 points, with Leeds down in 13th on 14 after losing three and drawing two of their last five league games.
They were less than impressive in beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 1-0 at Elland Road in the UEFA Cup on Thursday but having not lost at home to Everton for more than 50 years history is on their side on Sunday.
The day's other game is a meeting between two struggling sides as Charlton Athletic (17th) take on Sunderland (19th).
Charlton have won only one of their last seven league games with Sunderland managing one in eight.
Newcastle United play Middlesbrough at St James' Park on Monday night.
