Robin van Persie was in a bullish mood yesterday. Not quite dismissing Chelsea but struggling to be anything other than polite about them,

It’s really tough to play against them but if we play our game and put in one hundred per cent effort against Chelsea we can beat them

The latter part is something that we have forgotten how to do in recent seasons, although last time around, it was not through want of trying. In all three games, we led, denied by late equalisers in the League and undone by inexperience in the Carling Cup Final.

The match is occupying minds and one has to say that it looks as if Sky has some sort of influence over the football fixture computer, churning out any number of Grand Slam Sunday or whatever description they want to put on the day, over the past couple of years.

Van Persie spoke of his own return to the side

I’m not one hundred per cent…I can easily make 60-65 minutes but after two months out you cannot make 90 minutes. Maybe next time I can do 75-80 minutes. Or come on as sub. I don’t mind

The latter seems unlikely. Having taken an important stride to prove his fitness on Wednesday evening, it would not be a daft bet to put money on him starting on Sunday, very possibly with Flamini returning in central midfield for company. Alex Hleb may well feature in the squad, a substitute for later in the game seems likely judging by Arsene’s thinking,

I’d be prepared to take a gamble on one or two coming back from injury. But three or four – that’s very risky. I have to assess the situation carefully

RvP though let the cat out of the bag when talking about the quartet,

I have a good feeling they will be back

The experiment at Villa Park of Diarra and Flamini might well resurface on Sunday. It would not necessarily mean that Hleb has to start with RvP filling the link role between midfield and Adebayor.

Martin Keown believes that a win is imperative for Arsenal,

You have to win your home game because you are going to go to Stamford Bridge later in the season. I think it could even come down to goal difference

Doffing my cap to Keown’s more hands-on football experience, I would beg to differ on the point he made about having to win your home game. Avoiding defeat is as important; six draws against your rivals is not a disaster over the course of the season but it does add pressure in some respects knowing that the rest of the meetings between the other top three sides are unlikely to all end in draws. Keown thinks the recent run could have knocked the belief of some of the squad,

When you are a younger player your confidence is still brittle. But what a great game it will be for Arsenal to win to restore that and it will be the goal this weekend…They are a young team but if Arsenal stay in front in terms of points, then psychologically that is big

However, given the side was bereft of its creative influences, I am unconvinced that they will all have been affected. Indeed, let us not forget that there has only been one bad result, the defeat at Middlesbrough. Before the season started, a draw at St James Park would have been acceptable; it has only become the opposite because of the start to the match and the performance.

William Gallas meanwhile has been talking of his role as captain,

I try to show them how they have to play sometimes, sometimes being angry, you know? To be captain you have to be honest and you have to see when something is wrong and to speak with your team. At the moment we speak very well. Outside of the pitch I speak with the young players, which is very important for them

Which is well and good, something that he has achieved quite successfully so far. Gallas has forgotten the bit about leading by example, which he is doing very well at the moment. His habit of popping up with a late goal or two is a good way to show the rest of the team that never accepting defeat until the final whistle is blown is the only way to go on the pitch.

It is apparent that he has gained the respect of his teammates as captain, an achievement that seemed a million miles away last season. Yet is often forgotten how frustrating the 2006-07 campaign must have been for him with injuries disrupting his appearances. Returning to a side that had little or nothing to play for with two months to go would also have been demotivating for him. To his credit he has been positive about his role this season and certainly no one can have any complaints about his performances so far.

‘til Tomorrow.