Wenger on being top of the league and not giving up

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
20 Jan	7:45 PM	P	Bolton Wanderers (H)	4	2	Win

Manager Arsène Wenger yesterday acknowledged his team's spirit and determination as they fought back from two goals down in the first half to win 4-2 against Bolton Wanderers.

Arsenal now sit top of the pile, having achieved their target of needing to win by two clear goals to overtake Chelsea on number of goals scored, being equal on points and goal difference. The Blues though, have a game in-hand.

It is the second time in four days that the Gunners have played Bolton, winning the first match 2-0 at the Reebok Stadium.

Despite being on the reverse of that same scoreline before the first half was even over, the team never gave up and continued to plug away at Bolton's well-organised and pressing formation.

Goals from Tomas Rosicky, Cesc Fabregas, Thomas Vermaelen and Andrey Arshavin hauled Arsenal back into the game and top of the league.

Wenger said: "I felt we could come back, yes, but as well you think that the next mistake could be deadly and can turn the game completely the other way.

"You could be 3-0 down so it was important to play at a high tempo and not make another mistake at the back. At 2-1 it created a doubt in their mind and created a belief in our heads.

"I know this team will not give up, they will fight until the end. I think we can [mix it]. We are certainly much more physically resistant.

"You cannot find a team better than Bolton in doing what they did tonight because they marked us man to man, they didn't give us an inch of space.

"When they had the ball they kicked it to Kevin Davies who went for every challenge, then they went well for the second ball.

"They did that very well, so physically you are never more tested than against a Bolton team.

"Chelsea have a game in hand but it is good [to be top] because we had two difficult games against Bolton with a new manager.

"We faced two cup games and our mental strength, our physical strength, were deeply tested in both games."

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