The Russian takeover rumours rumble on at Arsenal but there is no sign of them shaking the poise of Arsene Wenger's table-topping side.
Written off before the start of the season after the exit of Thierry Henry, the Gunners can clock up a 10th consecutive victory in all competitions when they welcome Roy Keane's Sunderland to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Keane's old club Manchester United may have displaced Arsenal by the time they kick off if they beat Wigan Athletic on Saturday but there is an irresistible quality to their football at the moment which is leaving their rivals in the shade.
One of them, Liverpool, stuttered badly in midweek when they lost at home to Marseilles in the Champions League and will be anxious to put things right against surprise bottom three dwellers Tottenham Hotspur in another of the eight Sunday kickoffs in the Premier League.
"Now we must show character against Tottenham. That is our first priority after the Marseille result," Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said on Thursday.
Chelsea's new coach Avram Grant went some way to winning over the sceptics on Wednesday when his side won 2-1 in Valencia but he has still to taste a Premier League win and three points are a must at struggling Bolton Wanderers.
Arsenal's early form has cast Henry into the history books and some are even drawing parallels with Wenger's team who went through the 2003-04 season undefeated.
Striker Robin van Persie, scorer of the winner against Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday, is not surprised at how well Arsenal have started the campaign.
"I began very early this season," he said on Arsenal's Web site. "I first started just with Theo Walcott (in June) and then the other lads joined. What I saw was a great togetherness, a great belief and a great, great quality. I saw it every day.
"...If we can stay together then we can do some amazing stuff."
TRAUMATIC START
Chelsea, languishing in eighth place after a traumatic start to their season, had Didier Drogba to thank for victory in Valencia but the Ivorian will be missing at Bolton after getting sent off on his return from injury against Fulham last week.
However, with defender Ricardo Carvalho making his return from injury against Valencia and Frank Lampard close to a return, a win at Bolton would lift the blues that have enveloped Stamford Bridge since the exit of Jose Mourinho.
Things do not get any easier for Tottenham's affable Dutch coach Martin Jol, who has been under the microscope since virtually the first day of the season.
He looked doomed when his side trailed 4-1 at home to Aston Villa on Monday before they rallied for a remarkable 4-4 draw. They also reached the UEFA Cup group phase on Thursday but defeat at Liverpool would loosen his grip on his job.
In other matches on Sunday, goal-happy Portsmouth go to Fulham while high-flying Manchester City take on Middlesbrough looking to cement their place in the top four.
Bottom club Derby County may sense a chance of three valuable points at a Reading side struggling in their second season in the top flight.
Blackburn Rovers will look to bounce back from their UEFA Cup exit at home to Birmingham City while Everton clash with Newcastle United.
© 2024 Rediff.com -