Lampard's long-awaited return should help the Blues rise to the challenge

LONDON - Arsene Wenger wants Arsenal to deliver a hammer blow to Chelsea's title challenge when the champion visits the Emirates Stadium in a crucial London derby on Monday.

Wenger's side has endured a miserable run against Chelsea recently, but it has a golden opportunity to end that barren streak of five successive defeats in its final home match of 2010.

While Chelsea has slipped to fourth in the Premier League after failing to win any of its past five matches, the Gunners have moved one point above their rivals into second place thanks to some impressive performances.

Arsenal's only slip came two weeks ago when it lost to leaders Manchester United, but, despite being widely written off as title contenders in preseason, it has managed to outshine Carlo Ancelotti's team over the past two months and Wenger knows it can significantly damage Chelsea's chances with victory in the first of its Christmas fixtures.

"Of course this is a must-win game," Wenger said. "We have mixed feelings because we came out of both games against Chelsea and Manchester United this season thinking we could have won and that there wasn't a difference between the teams.

"We have a good opportunity to show that in the coming months and that our improvement is bigger than any other team because we are a very young side.

"We are confident abouttaking Chelsea on at home. Chelsea have gone through a period where results are a bit less good but that can happen to anyone in this league.

"They have a little bit less confidence than they had in October but we know that winning will be down to our performance.

"We want to put a top-level performance in at the Emirates and show we are masters at home."

Wenger hopes the boost of having captain Cesc Fabregas and Dutch forward Robin van Persie starting together for the first time since August will spark his team to a landmark victory.

But Chelsea boss Ancelotti believes the presence of Frank Lampard in the team after his three-month injury absence could prove decisive.

Lampard has been sidelined by hernia surgery and a groin injury and the England midfielder's eye for a goal and energetic displays have been sorely missed during Chelsea's dismal run.

"It's very important to have him in our attacking play and when we have the ball. That will increase our chance to score," Ancelotti said.

"Having him back will be fantastic news. He will be able to play. He's fit. He's excited.

"It's very difficult to find this kind of player who has the capability of scoring 20 goals. He has character, ability, he always runs and works hard.

"He's so professional. In the (transfer) market there is no player capable of replacing Lampard."

After starting the season with a blizzard of goals and dominant displays that had many proclaiming it as certainties to retain the title, Chelsea looked far from invincible as injuries to Lampard, John Terry, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba took their toll.

That quartet are all back now though and Ancelotti will be left with no excuses if Chelsea continues to fall further off the pace.

The Italian's claims that it is harder to stay at the top than get there are unlikely to cut any ice with notoriously demanding Blues owner Roman Abramovich and his coterie of advisers.

"In football it is difficult to maintain first place. It's easier to arrive first. It's very difficult to maintain it," Ancelotti said.

"It's harder to stay at the top of the table. Obviously, it's harder now to win the title and stay at the top level. But that's a fantastic motivation for us."

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 12/27/2010 page23)