WENGER EXPECTING TOUGH FULHAM CLASH

Arsene Wenger expects another tough match when Arsenal travel to Fulham in the Barclays Premier League today.

The Gunners head into the game fourth in the table after defeating QPR 1-0 on New Year’s Eve as Robin van Persie netted the all-important goal that propelled them up to the Champions League spots and above both Chelsea and Liverpool. Wenger now leads his side across London to Fulham and expects a difficult match by the Thames.

“I am expecting a tough game,” he said. “You can see that everybody finds a good motivation against Arsenal. Everybody organises well, stops us from playing and that will happen again at Fulham.”

He added: “Of course we have three points and will be very focused to get the win there. For us it is always a difficult game at Fulham.”

Wenger’s task was made all the more difficult by Thomas Vermaelen limping off against QPR.

The Belgium international was forced off in the 54th minute with a calf strain, leaving defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin to fill in at left-back.

Vermaelen’s injuries severely weakens Wenger’s options with Kieran Gibbs (stomach) and Andre Santos (ankle) both sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Asked whether Vermaelen’s injury heightens the need for defensive reinforcements, Wenger said: “Straight after the game I don’t know because I need to analyse it all.

“Gibbs is three weeks away but it would be stupid to lose points because we don’t have a left-back.”

The aforementioned trio all miss the match at Craven Cottage and will be joined on the sidelines by Jack Wilshere, Carl Jenkinson and Bacary Sagna.

Chelsea target Arsenal and Tottenham stars

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is planning an audacious £65 million double swoop on Arsenal and Tottenham stars Theo Walcott and Luka Modric.

Having been reportedly given a transfer war chest of £140 million by owner Roman Abramovich, Villas-Boas is planning to revamp his squad with young guns in a bid to secure the all important top four finish that the Blues currently find just out of reach.

The Portuguese manager will look to re-ignite interest in Tottenham midfielder Modric, a player the West London club tried hard to secure in the summer and a player who has himself stated his desire to make the move to Chelsea.

The Croatian international demanded a move away from White Hart Lane after hearing of interest from Villas-Boas but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy refused to sell the 26 year-old.

Despite Tottenham’s great start to the campaign Modric has recently been quoted as saying that a move to Chelsea is still a possibility and Chelsea will launch a fresh £35m bid for the former Dinamo Zagreb man as they seek to revive their flagging Premier League campaign.

Villas-Boas is also a big admirer of Arsenal winger Theo Walcott and the continuing efforts to get the young England man to sign a new Gunners contract have alerted Chelsea to the possibility of completing an audacious swoop.

The former Southampton man has just 18 months to run on his current contract and reportedly his £85,000 a week demands are not being met by the North London club.

Chelsea are prepared to offer £30m for the 22 year-old, who started the season with a bang but has been somewhat out of sorts over the past month leading to speculation that all is not well at the Emirates Stadium.

Villas-Boas will reportedly sanction a wage offer of as much as £120k a week, an offer far in excess of his reported demands and will hope that the Arsenal attacker may push to leave the club if his demands are not met.

The former FC Porto boss sees Walcott as an ideal signing to add more natural width to his attack and would ably help become of his policy to reverse the ageing nature of his Chelsea squad.

Chelsea saw first hand what Theo Walcott is capable of as the young wide-man tortured Villas-Boas’s side during Arsenal’s 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge back in October.

Van Persie hints at Arsenal stay

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has hinted that he might remain at the Emirates, amid speculation about where his future may lie.

The 28-year-old has 18 months left on his existing contract and is yet to come to an agreement over an extension to his stay in north London, with some reports pointing towards interest from Barcelona and Manchester City.

Now the Dutchman has claimed that his family has settled down well in London, with the former Feyenoord man having been at the club since 2004.

“We love the life in London and I enjoy watching my kids grow up here,” Van Persie told reporters.

“They grow up like the English kids with good manners and values of England.”

“The place where we live, just outside the city, is fantastic. We have everything we want.”

“The English people are so incredibly polite where I live. People are nice here. That makes life a real pleasure.”

“My children have become more English than Dutch. They have taken up the culture and values of England.”

“It makes me melt at times when I see how well my children are doing here. When Shaqueel has half-term with school, he does not want to go back to the Netherlands anymore.”

Van Persie had a stellar 2011. He scored 35 Premier League goals during the course of the calendar year, beating Thierry Henry’s Arsenal record but falling one goal short of equalling the Premier League record held by Alan Shearer.

His final goal of 2011 was against Queens Park Rangers on New Year’s Eve.

As the only goal of the match it ensured the Gunners took the three points and moved into the top four of the Premier League for the first time this season.

The Arsenal captain attributed his outstanding performances during the year to his desire to repay the fans for their support.

“It is the biggest compliment I could wish for,” Van Persie added.

“Arsenal fans are real lovers of the game.”

“They don’t miss anything in the stadium and are there for the team and the individual players.”

“I have to admit I love banners like ‘We don’t need Batman, we’ve got Robin’ and stuff like that.”

“I also love it when I run on to the pitch and I hear the entire crowd roar. What bigger compliment could I wish for as a player?”

“At Arsenal, the fans so want me to do well. And that gives me a kick. That’s what I do it for. As a thank you, I want to give them so much in return on the pitch.”