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Arsenal chasing fourth spot in the Premiership
SUNDERLAND, May 1 (SW) - Arsenal visit The Stadium Of Light today to take on relegated Sunderland and keep up the pressure on Spurs in their bid to secure fourth spot and a Champions League place next season.
Wenger has Ashley Cole and Emmanuel Adebayor set to return to the line-up today but loses Gilberto through injury. Hleb, Flamini, Reyes and Walcott are all doubtful for the Gunners.
Sunderland’s Julio Arca, Liam Lawrence and Jon Stead should also return today, but Rory Delap is out.
Although the result of this match will be no more than a matter of pride for Sunderland, Wenger will be desperate for the victory to secure a place in next year’s Champions League tournament. It’s an issue of some complexity.
With the Gunner’s Champions League cup final appearance comes the chance of automatic qualification, but of course they have to beat Barca to achieve that. So Wenger needs the fourth spot to be assured of a place.
Currently Arsenal lie fifth on 58 points chasing Tottenham in fourth on 65. So even with the two games in hand that the Gunners have, they cannot make fourth spot unless Spurs falter.
Spurs on the other hand have to face a possible scenario that could see them finishing fourth and failing to qualify, and it has prompted manager Jol to make a plea to FIFA on behalf of his team.
"If Middlesbrough win the Uefa Cup, then fifth and sixth place goes to the Uefa Cup for next season," he said.
"The same should be for the Champions League as England is so strong.
"I don't want to think about it. I still think it would be an injustice."
Today’s teams from:
Sunderland: Davis, J Murphy, Nosworthy, Breen, D Collins, Caldwell, McCartney, Whitehead, Miller, Arca, McCartney, Leadbitter, Woods, Brown, Kyle, Stead, D Murphy, Le Tallec.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Djourou, Eboue, Campbell, Toure, Clichy, Cole, Pires, Diaby, Fabregas, Ljungberg, Van Persie, Henry, Bergkamp, Adebayor, Song, Larsson, Almunia.
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