Pires: We are still on title course

Robert Pires insisted today that Arsenal's championship bid remains on course despite the loss of two points to Liverpool at Highbury.

Manchester United took over at the top of the Premiership table after they won at Southampton while Arsenal conceded an equaliser to Liverpool to emerge with a draw.

But the French midfield star said: "The important thing is that it is January and we are involved towards the top of the table. We are in there with teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle.

"Of course it was a disappointment to draw after we had taken the lead but it also means that we have taken four points from Liverpool in the two league games. That is not too bad at all against a team who are near the top of the table.

"Next we have to play at Leeds and we know that will be hard. The aim now is to try to balance the result we had at home against them earlier in the season when we lost. But there is still a great confidence among the players that we can stay involved in the battle for the championship. There is a great spirit in our squad."

It was a sentiment echoed by Swedish teammate-Fredrik Ljungberg, who set a personal best for a season goal-haul with his 10th strike of the season yesterday.

"My previous best was nine," said Ljungberg who added: "At this stage of the season we need to be up there among the top one, two or three and to make sure there is not a big gap in the points.

"We have done that. And we all feel here that we have a good chance of winning the title. Of course it would have been better to have beaten Liverpool but it is a disappointment rather than a major setback. There is not a big points difference between the teams at the top."

Oleg Luzhny will be fit to face Leeds next Sunday at Elland Road after having to go off with cramp - as did Pires. And with Nwankwo Kanu of Nigeria now with Lauren of Cameroon on African Nations Cup duty in Mali, Dennis Bergkamp - who helped set up the Arsenal goal with an exquisite piece of skill - is set for an extended run in the team.

Meanwhile, Tony Adams has been told to rest by Arsene Wenger. The Arsenal captain broke down in a reserve game at Coventry last week as he continued his comeback after a three-month absence following surgery on a broken bone in his foot.

But he is so keen to return to first team action that he wanted to play in another reserve game against Chelsea tomorrow. But Wenger has told him to forget playing this week and to take a break from training.

Adams will be restricted to gym work and, if the inflammation in his foot goes, he will resume full-scale training on Thursday or Friday.

It's down to us, says Wenger
Premiership table