Arsene Wenger: Arsenal are not under pressure, Man City are

Arsene Wenger is backing his Arsenal side to beat Manchester City and underline their status as genuine title contenders this season.

The north Londoners travel to The Etihad on Saturday lunchtime looking for a win that would move them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Wenger’s men were beaten 2-0 by Napoli in midweek but still made it through to the Champions League last 16 as Group F runners-up.

We have an opportunity to show we are a good team and that’s an opportunity we want to take

Arsene Wenger

But the Frenchman has challenged his side to return to winning ways at Eastlands and believes Manuel Pellegrini’s men are under more pressure to get a result than the Gunners.

“Let’s not forget if City lose they are nine points behind, so they have negative pressure. We have positive pressure,” said Wenger. “We want to do well, we have a cushion, we are not under massive pressure.

“We have an opportunity to show we are a good team and that’s an opportunity we want to take.

“This is the next test and it’s a game where we can make a difference and what we want to do is to be ourselves with our quality, spirit and attitude and we want to get a result.”

Wenger believes the key to victory at City will be preventing Pellegrini’s side from “finding their flow”.

“I have been questioned so many times about our defence, but we like to score goals and go forward,” he said. “But Man City can do that as well. Pellegrini is an offensive manager and so am I.’

“I believe first of all we need to be strong defensively and maybe the best way to do that is to attack and stop them finding their flow.

“We have an opportunity to make a difference because we play first, we can go from five points clear to eight. That’s how we look at it.”