Arsene Wenger has defiantly insisted his Arsenal players will go to the wire to prove they are are still in the Premier League title race (Arsenal 9/1 Premier League outright prices).

Defeat to London rivals Chelsea on Sunday means the Gunners now trail the Premier League leaders by 11 points back in fourth place, although they do have a game in hand.

The north Londoners looked toothless in attack without injured Holland striker Robin van Persie and Wenger must now lift his side spirits for the Carling Cup quarter-final clash at Manchester City (Man City 20/21 draw 23/10 Arsenal 23/10 Carling Cup match bets) on Wednesday.

The Frenchman said there was still plenty of optimism in the Arsenal dressing room and predicted more twists and turns before the big prize is dished out.

H said: “I do not think it is over.

“We are fighters and we have to show that in the next game.”

He added: “The problem we have to face at the moment is people will not believe in us, so we have to make sure that lack of belief does not diminish our own belief.

“That is where we have to be mentally stronger than we were.”

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Rafael Benitez said he hoped his Liverpool players would use the 2-0 derby success against local rivals Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday as a springboard for an assault at securing a Premier League top-four finish (Liverpool 28/1 Premier League outright prices).

An early own goal from Joseph Yobo and and close-range effort from Dirk Kuyt late on sealed an otherwise low-key contest on Merseyside and extended Everton’s current run to one win in the last 11 matches to leave them just three points outside the relegation places.

Benitez was delighted to collect maximum points on the back of the club’s elimination from the Champions League and argued the victory “could set us up for the rest of the season” (Liverpool 13/2 favourites Europa League outright prices).

Liverpool are now up to fifth in the Premier League table and next Saturday travel to take on Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Benitez said: “A derby is always very difficult and also very important so a win today could set us up for the rest of the season.

“We are higher in table now, everyone is happy, so we will see if we can keep winning some games.”

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Nikolay Davydenko is ready to put his defeat at last year’s ATP World Tour Finals behind him by beating Juan Martin del Potro at the O2 Arena on Sunday.

The Russian (6/5 to beat Del Potro in the tennis betting) came through an epic three set semi-final with world number one Roger Federer to book his place in the final, holding his nerve in the last set to win 6-2 4-6 7-5.

The world number six hadn’t beaten Federer in 12 previous attempts but finally got the win he has craved to send the tournament favourite crashing out and reach the final for the second year running having lost to Novak Djokovic in Shangai 12 months ago.

Davydenko will now face US Open champion Del Potro (8/13 to win the final in the match result market) after the Argentine came through his own nail-biting semi-final with Robin Soderling 6-7 (1/7) 6-3 7-6 (7/3).

While Davydenko is hopeful of overcoming Del Potro, whose win over Federer in the group stages eliminated home favourite Andy Murray, he admitted he was drained by his semi-final with Federer and the long week of tennis that preceded it.

“I think all my family, everybody who’s supported me, waited for this moment when I can beat Federer, because I beat everyone in top 10 except Federer. It’s a really good feeling,” said Davydenko.

“I was tired, really tired,” he continued. “I want to recover 100%. I hope tomorrow I’ll be fit for the final.”

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Chelsea striker Didier Drogba says he is determined to help the Blues re-establish a five point lead at the top of the Premier League with victory over Arsenal on Sunday.

The west London outfit (4/6 to win the league outright) saw their lead at the top the table cut to two points following Manchester United’s victory at Portsmouth and will be keen to avoid allowing anyone back into the title race.

Chelsea have been rampant since the start of the season and will be looking to add Arsenal to the list of rivals they have already beaten this season.

The Gunners (6/4 to beat Chelsea in the 90 minutes market) have injury worries with Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, Kieran Gibbs, Gael Clichy, Abou Diaby and Johan Djourou while William Gallas is doubtful after picking up ankle and head injuries during the Champions League game with Standard Liege on Tuesday.

Arsenal fans may go into Sunday’s big clash with some trepidation following last season’s 4-1 mauling by Chelsea (80/1 to equal that result in the correct score market) at the Emirates.

Drogba believes that while this year’s game in north London may be closer the Blues will go in looking for the win that could kill of the Gunners’ title challenge.

“Arsenal has the kind of spirit like us as well and I think it is going to be a good game to watch,” he said.

“We need to maintain the gap [at the top]. If we win it is difficult for them to come back but it is not impossible.”

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Andrew Strauss defiantly insisted England would respond from their crushing 112-run third one-day international defeat by South Africa when the two nations meet on Sunday (South Africa 8/15 draw 6/4 match bets) at Port Elizabeth.

The Three Lions had hoped to make it seven successive 50-over wins over their hosts but were left licking their wounds in Cape Town.

AB de Villiers’ turned in a belligerent 112 and Hashim Amla chipped in with an impressive 84 to help South Africa storm to a ground record-equalling 354 for six at Newlands.

England struggled under the lights and only Paul Collingwood emerged with any genuine credit after posting 86, with fast bowlers Wayne Parnell (five for 48) and Morne Morkel (three for 39) doing most of the damage.

The series is now tied 1-1 with the fourth match taking place on Sunday (South Africa 11/10 drawn series 6/5 England 9/2 ODI Series Outright) and Strauss said he had complete faith in his team-mates.

Strauss said: “We can bounce back strong tomorrow.

“I still believe in that dressing room there are 11 very positive cricketers, who are happy with their games - and there’s no reason why we can’t win tomorrow.

“We’ve got a very good record of coming back after defeats and South Africa have proved they can do it as well.”

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Under-fire manager Rafael Benitez has insisted he is the right man to guarantee Liverpool a top-four Premier League finish and return the club to the top of Europe again (Liverpool 13/2 Uefa Europa League 2009/2010 outright winner).

The Spaniard has spent most of his week fighting fires in the wake of the club’s Champions League elimination and accepts the heat is on ahead of the Goodison Park showdown against local rivals Everton (Everton 9/4 draw 23/10 Liverpool 6/5 match bets) on Sunday.

Benitez, who only signed a new five-year contract last season, revealed he had spoken to the club’s American owners about his future prior to Tuesday’s win in Debrecen and outlined his desire to transform Liverpool’s fortunes.

He said: “I had given my word to the staff and the players. I love this city and I love the club and the fans.

“When I signed my new contract I had offers from other clubs for more money and a lot more money to spend in the transfer market. But I decided to stay because I felt we had a very good team.

“We will prove this during the rest of the season. We know we are not playing at the level we can but we will improve, we will be back in Europe.”

The Reds’ top scorer Fernando Torres could return from a groin problem when Liverpool make the short trip to Goodison for the Merseyside derby.

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Brian O’Driscoll believes South Africa’s poor form on their European tour will make them hungry to sign off with a win against Ireland.

The Springboks (8/13 with a three point advantage in the Alternative Handicap betting) have recorded just one victory in their autumn internationals so far, a run of results which has seen them replaced by New Zealand (4/5 to beat France in the 80 minute match betting) at the top of the IRB rankings.

Defeats by France, Leicester and Saracens on this tour have seen the press question whether South Africa are the force they once were.

O’Driscoll disputes those rumours, pointing to the success the Boks had in the summer when they edged out the British and Irish Lions over three Tests and also captured their first Tri-Nations crown since 2004.

Ireland (10/11 to beat South Africa in the handicap betting) are virtually at full strength for Saturday’s game and come into it off the back of a comfortable 41-6 victory over Fiji last weekend.

Despite their recent good form O’Driscoll has warned his teammates they can not underestimate South Africa.

“They’re the reigning world champions, have beaten the Lions and won the Tri-Nations,” added O’Driscoll.

“They lost to France - boo hoo! They won’t be crying about it, they’ll be looking to put it right against us in the last game of what’s been a great season for them.

“If we get the upper hand we’ll say we’ve beaten a very strong South African team.”

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Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill believes Tottenham pose the biggest threat to the Villains attempts to break into the top four this season.

O’Neill’s side host Spurs (17/10 to beat Villa in the 90 minute match betting) on Saturday teatime looking to draw level on points with the north London outfit who currently occupy fourth place.

The two sides appear to be the most likely contenders to break the ‘big four’s’ monopoly on the Champions League spots, with both having come close in the past.

Villa (4/1 in the Without Big Four winners market) occupied fourth place for much of last season before falling away and eventually finishing sixth.

Tottenham were denied their place in the Champions League on the last day of the season in 2006, but both sides have seemingly learnt from their past experiences and have strengthen their squads considerably this season.

O’Neill claims Spurs are Villa’s main rivals for the coveted fourth spot and expects Saturday’s clash at Villa Park to be a tight one.

“Tottenham are very strong,” said O’Neill.

“They have a chance to challenge that top four because they have the wherewithal to do it.

“But we will throw absolutely everything at it.

“It will be a tough ask this season again but it’s our aim.

“That’s what we want to do as we’d love to be playing Champions League football eventually.

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Avram Grant will take charge of Portsmouth for the first time at Fratton Park on Saturday after being named Paul Hart’s successor.

The former Chelsea boss will assume control of team affairs after initially returning to the club as director of football last month.

Hart managed to win just two Premier League games this season before being relieved of his post earlier in the week by the Pompey hierarchy.

Marooned at the bottom of the table, Portsmouth are 13/8 with totesport.com to avoid relegation by the end of the campaign but Grant’s task starts with the daunting home game against champions Manchester United on Saturday afternoon (Pompey 13/2 to win in 90 Minute Match Betting).

Grant’s first and last games in charge of Chelsea both came against the Red Devils.

Fratton Park chief executive officer Peter Storrie said: “Avram is a very experienced and respected manager who has managed at the highest level.

“The board believes he is the man to help steer the club out of the relegation zone.

“He knows the club, the players and the set-up at Fratton Park, so it was the logical move to make him the next manager, once the board had decided to relieve Paul Hart of the role.

“He will take charge of training on Friday alongside first-team coaches Paul Groves and Ian Woan.”

Pompey are bottom of the Premier League having collected just seven points from 13 games.

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British number one Andy Murray (3/1 Outright Winner) admits he is confident going into his final group match at the ATP World Tour Finals against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco.

Murray (4/6 to win in straight sets) lost on Wednesday to Roger Federer which means he needs to win on Thursday afternoon to progress to this weekend’s semi-finals, although he could still go through if he loses on the proviso Federer then goes on to beat Juan Martin del Potro.

Murray will take heart from his recent win over Verdasco at the Valencia Open, which the Scot won on his return from a six-week lay-off with a wrist problem, but also knows he must rediscover his killer instinct.

“I’ve got a good record against all the guys in the group,” said the 22-year-old.

“If I play well, there’s a good chance I’ll win. If I don’t, then there’s a good chance I’ll lose.

“At the beginning of the year when I was playing a lot of matches, I wasn’t giving guys chances to come back when I was getting ahead.”

Should Murray, Del Potro and Verdasco end up with one win each then the second semi-finalist from the group will be decided on sets and then games won.

Federer (5/4 Outright Winner) has a good record against del Potro although his one defeat in seven matches to the Argentine came in the US Open final in September.

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