ARSENE WENGER: Chelsea Are Now Favourites To Win EPL

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the Premier League title is now "Chelsea's to lose". The Stamford Bridge side hold a one-point advantage over the Gunners, with Manchester City a further two points back, albeit with a game in hand. And Wenger says Chelsea's slender lead means they are title favourites.

"It [the title race] is very open; only Chelsea can lose it because they are in front and all the other teams can win it," said Wenger.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has previously said his side are not championship contenders, describing the Blues as a "little horse" in the title race.


Brendan Rodgers, the manager of fourth-placed Liverpool, continued that analogy on Thursday by saying his side "may be the chihuahuas that run in between the horses' legs" as they look to make a late challenge for the title.

However Wenger says that, despite Mourinho's protestations and Rodgers' claim his side are outsiders, all four teams are in the mix.

"Many teams are in it and it will be very tight until the end," he said.

"I say yes we are in it, yes we will have a go for it, we will absolutely give everything to go for it and if we don't do I will take responsibility for it, but I just see it like that."

Wenger was speaking ahead of Sunday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

His side will then play Bayern Munich in the Champions League before returning to Premier League action against Sunderland.

And the Frenchman says the cup competitions can have a positive or negative impact on a club's league form.

"It's a physical burden as well on the team that you have to cope with," he said. "Of course that can have an influence.

"The mental shape and the mental level of confidence of the team and the positive vibes that are within the team are always very important so the results in any competition can have an influence."