Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas says Arsenal will do their utmost to wrestle the Premier League crown from reigning champions Manchester United and London neighbours Chelsea but accepts that in terms of trophy-winning experience the table’s top two sides are more advanced than Arsene Wenger’s young side.
The Gunners closed the gap on both United and Chelsea last night after their 1-0 win against Liverpool, but having suffered defeat against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men at the Emirates and then seven days later at Stamford Bridge they still represent outside bets to win their first trophy since 2005.
Arsenal are now six points behind leaders Chelsea and five behind Manchester United as the season moves into its final third.
Speaking to the Arsenal official matchday programme, Fabregas stressed:
“People say you must learn from your mistakes, but you learn how to play football when you are 12, 13, 14, 15. You don’t learn these things when you are 25. Of course you can still improve, always improve, but the basics must be there.
“If you play for Arsenal it’s because you have these attributes. That’s why I don’t believe that age is an excuse.
“There’s nothing we can do about those last two results, except to move forwards and do well until the end of the season, and see where it takes us.
“The last few results are a step backwards, but it’s not lost yet. We have to keep focus and try to go as far as we can.
“We want to do well that is for sure, and get better and better, but remember these are teams [Manchester United & Chelsea] that have won things recently and in terms of experience of winning trophies they are more advanced than us.”
After a tough four game run in the Premier League, Arsenal's focus will now return to the Champions League; the Gunners travel to 2004 winners Porto on Wednesday night as they look to secure the north London side's first European silveware since George Graham's side won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1994.