Arsenal vs Newcastle preview - Wenger warns against complacency

Posted Monday, March 12, 2012 by PA

Arsene Wenger insists there is no danger of complacency as Arsenal look to finish a difficult campaign by securing a top four place in the Barclays Premier League.

The Gunners go into Monday'ss home clash with Newcastle aiming to close on third-placed Tottenham, who were beaten at Everton, and put distance between themselves and Chelsea, who beat Stoke on Saturday.

Arsenal have found some consistency in recent weeks, winning four from their last five Premier League games, which included back-to-back victories over Spurs and Liverpool.

Having crashed out of the FA Cup at Sunderland and been unable to overturn a 4-0 first leg deficit against AC Milan in the Champions League, despite the morale-boosting 3-0 home win, Wenger knows his men must retain focus if they are to stay the course.

"As a group, we have learned from what happened at the end of last season - you learn from every disappointment," said Wenger, who saw the previous campaign quickly unravel following a shock defeat in the Carling Cup final to Birmingham at Wembley.

"The team knows, subconsciously, that to finish in the top four this season requires fantastic fight, whereas maybe that was taken for granted towards the end of last year.

"That is the difference - this year we know we have to fight to get in there."

Wenger added: "There is no danger of complacency now, like there could have been a little bit in the league last season.

"We know that we have a massive task in front of us in the Premier League

"We set ourselves the target of going right until the end of the season and take it game by game.

"I believe that we have been very consistent in the last 18 or 19 games.

"We have created a momentum with our last few wins, but we want to keep that going. because it is fragile at the top

"Liverpool are a good side, but they are seventh in the league, so it is difficult for everyone."

Wenger is expecting a stern challenge from Newcastle, who themselves are not out of contention to gatecrash the top four.

He said: "First of all they play with a fantastic attitude, but basically what they have done very well is that they bought well. That is one of the secrets in our game.

"[Yohan] Cabaye was a very good buy, with [Hatem] Ben Arfa, [Demba] Ba, [Papiss] Cisse. All their buys were successful."

Brazil full-back Andre Santos could return to the Arsenal squad after recovering from a broken ankle.

Midfielder Mikel Arteta is available having been rested for the midweek Champions League win over AC Milan because of a blow to the head at Liverpool, while Wales captain Aaron Ramsey (ankle) should also be involved.

Yossi Benayoun has been out with a virus, while there were no other fresh injuries from midweek. Abou Diaby (hamstring), defender Francis Coquelin (hamstring), centre-back Per Mertesacker (ankle) and midfielder Jack Wilshere (ankle) remain sidelined.

Newcastle have 11 games in which to secure a place in Europe, but even if they miss out, their second campaign back in the big time will have been largely successful both on and off the pitch.

Manager Alan Pardew has built a squad he believes is competitive, if far from complete, and has done so on a budget which has allowed the club to fall only just short - to the tune of #3.9million - of breaking even.

The fact that they are still involved at the top end of the table at a stage in the season where most expected them to have fallen away after an impressive start is testament to the efforts of Pardew and his players.

However, they will arrive at the Emirates Stadium knowing they will have their work cut out to add to their points tally, and certainly to repeat last season's 1-0 win there.

The Gunners have won their last three games - against Tottenham, Liverpool and AC Milan - in thrilling style with striker Robin van Persie having scored four times in the process to take his tally for the campaign to 32.

Ameobi said: "He is the best striker, the best number nine - I say number nine, but he is playing as a number nine this season - there is at the moment.

"He is technically brilliant, a top, top-class player and he is banging in the goals.

"He is a real threat every time he is on the pitch, and it will be a pleasure to try to stop him on Monday night."

Newcastle striker Peter Lovenkrands could miss the rest of the season after he suffered a suspected ruptured thigh muscle.

The Denmark international is definitely out of the trip and could even have played his last game for the club with his contract due to expire at the end of the campaign.

Pardew otherwise has no fresh injury concerns, with Ameobi having recovered from the bout of illness which limited him to the substitutes' bench last weekend.

Pardew has just long-term absentees Leon Best and Sammy Ameobi (both knee), Steven Taylor (Achilles) and Sylvain Marveaux (groin) still missing.