Chelsea must be favourites

The last couple of weeks have seen a bit of shuffling at the top of the Barclays Premier League, with Chelsea's card popping up at the top of the pack.

We can ignore all Jose Mourinho's nonsense about Chelsea being a "little horse". They are a big club backed by Abramovich's billions and no silly words from Mourinho can disguise that. Chelsea's performance to beat Manchester City at the beginning of last week was excellent and some recent displays by Eden Hazard show him to be a world-class player (and I never use that term lightly).

I make Chelsea favourites for the title.

Manchester City have shown vulnerability recently, with the defeat to Chelsea and a tame 0-0 draw at Norwich City, and, despite some obviously exciting wins, to me they don't seem to have the team resilience that Chelsea possess.

Arsenal have faltered - as I think most people expected them to do - and they are not yet strong enough to win the title. But I wish Arsene Wenger well - he's still one of the best managers there is.

Liverpool remain an outside bet. They are only four points behind leaders Chelsea, and in Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge they have genuine goalscorers. But I don't see them as quite the finished article yet.

As for the rest - Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Manchester United - they will fight to get into the top four, but I don't think any of them will make it. They may not be keen to land up in the Europa League. So, how do you fight for fourth, but ensure you don't finish fifth?

Manchester clubs trump the north London cards

So Manchester gained the whip-hand over north London on Sunday as City beat Spurs 3-2 and United beat Arsenal 2-1.

Manchester City only just squeezed over the line against Tottenham with a last-gasp penalty taken by a player who might not have been on the pitch on another day, as Mario Balotelli supposed "stamp" went unpunished, but might have resulted in a sending-off on another occasion. My opinion is the same as Lee Dixon's on Match of the Day: there was enough doubt about the action to merit no action. Indeed, it may be that Howard Webb didn't even see it as his head was partly turned away when Balotelli's foot came down.

Perhaps, however, Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp should use his words to Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe for failing to convert a glorious chance seconds before Balotelli's telling spot kick. It's all about points of view, isn't it?

And so it was in the Arsenal v. Manchester United game as Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was roundly criticised and booed for substituting the threatening Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Andrey Arshavin as minutes ran out at the Emirates. The fact that Arshavin was ineffectual in preventing United's winner would not help Wenger's case. But he must have had his reasons. He said: "Arshavin is captain of the Russian national team. You have an 18-year-old kid making his first Premier League start and a player who is captain of his country and they are querying the substitution?"

Although no manager - including Wenger - can be right 100% of the time, I am staggered that Arsenal fans can doubt the man (trophyless for six years or not). Look around, you Gooners. If you sacked Wenger, who would be your ideal managerial candidate?

Wenger had it right as Arsenal rise continues

The top four - Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United - all won by the odd goal on Saturday. Good enough for three points, of course.

But the biggest winners on Saturday were Arsenal, who beat West Brom 3-0. Now the crisis-hit Arsenal of some weeks ago sit in 7th place, on the same points as Liverpool and Tottenham, and only three behind Chelsea.

Now it's all about Robin van Persie is single-handedly lifting them up the table. He scored one and made two on Saturday.

As usual, there is little or no perspective and it's all by the media. It's all doom and gloom or the best thing ever.

When Arsenal were struggling they had just lost two key players (Fabregas and Nasri) and had injuries too. Now they are doing well, they have centre-backs back in the team, Song back in midfield and, yes, van Persie back up front.

Arsene Wenger (quite ridiculously touted for the sack by some) was right all along, and Arsenal will be in among the challenge for honours when it matters.

Is the Carling Cup a route to success for Wenger?

As I hear that Arsene Wenger will retire from his position as Arsenal boss in 2014, I note that he played a strong team in the Carling Cup last night.

Notoriously using the League Cup to blood his younger players in recent seasons - often with great success, including a runners-up spot in 2007 - it seems that the Gunners' boss may have had a change of heart this season.

In a twist of the status quo, it was Tottenham Hostpur who fielded an inexperienced side in last night's third round tie. With Harry Redknapp having bigger fish to fry in this season's Champions League than they ever before, he decided to rest his top players ahead of the weekend's game at West Ham and next week's European game against Twente.

So it was that the Gunners triumphed in the north London cup derby, 4-1 winners after extra time.

May Wenger has decided that the Carling Cup represents Arsenal's best chance of getting their first trophy since being Premier League Champions in 2005.

Wenger must reject the ugly side of the game

Arsenal's turning point may have come, as is popularly thought, at half-time in the fixture at Anfield when they were 1-0 down to Liverpool. That is when Arsene Wenger let rip at his team in a way that he is not accustomed to doing. Having been accused by their boss of being "not fit to wear the shirt", the Gunners turned that game round to win 2-1 and have remained unbeaten since.

In the seven league games since that Anfield date, Arsenal have won five and drawn two to push themselves all the way to the top of the pile, nudging ahead of Chelsea on goal difference.

If Arsenal were to win the league, it would be - in the main - a victory for the beautiful passing game.

What then, of William Gallas?

His tackle on Mark Davies during the 4-2 win over Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday night was not in the spirit of beautiful football. It was definitely the ugly side of the game? Can you have one without the other and be suucessful? It is to be hoped so.

I hope Arsene Wenger tells Gallas that there is no room for that kind of thing in the current Arsenal team. I hope he says that they'll win it without resorting to brutal tackles, or they'll not win it at all.

We need someone to stand up to these kind of tackles and take them out of their own team, while still being victorious. Arsene Wenger is our best chance right now.

Gunners eye top spot

If Arsenal can match their 2-0 win against Bolton Wanderers when the two sides meet again at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, then the Gunners will go to the top of the Premier League.

The visit to the top would be by goal difference and with a game more, but it would make a real statement of intent.

Manager Arsene Wenger said on Sunday: "We know that we are in an interesting position, that nobody expected us to be in. We have the belief."

Returning Cesc Fabregas proved how crucial he is to the North Londoners, with a goal and a typically inspirational all-round performance from the Spaniard.

It seems amazing that Arsenal could hit top spot after Chelsea's rampant 7-2 victory over hapless Sunderland on Saturday. Chelsea's next game will be an interesting challenge against the in-form Birmingham City.

Manchester United remain unconvincing despite a 3-0 win against Burnley. Nevertheless, they are still only a point behind Chelsea from a game more.

It promies to be an interesting second half of the season.

Campbell set for return to Arsenal

I’m sure I’m not the only one to be amazed at the possibility of a Sol Campbell return to Arsenal before the January transfer window ends.

Campbell, 35, played the first half of an Arsenal Reserves 4-2 win against West Ham at Upton Park last night, with, said the Gunners, “a view to a permanent move back to Arsenal Football Club”.

Campbell said: “I hope to sign for Arsenal until the end of the season. I need to get minutes under my belt, a couple of reserve games at least, before I can start looking any further ahead. There are still a few technicalities to iron out but it's fantastic, great, marvellous. I'm ecstatic to be back and I have worked hard to get there. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is not stupid. He wouldn't have taken me back if he didn't like what he has seen."

Well, no, but Wenger and Arsenal are now famous for not wanting to pay top dollar to get players. Campbell will sign “on a free”, and his contract is not likely to be long. Therefore, it’s not a huge gamble by Wenger.

Campbell joined Sven-Goran Eriksson at Notts County in August, but played only one game – a defeat at Morecambe – before quitting. The turmoil since then at Meadow Lane has perhaps proved his decision right.

Stepping back into the Premier League, though, will be difficult for the former England defender, who has not played there since playing for Portsmouth last season.

With Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas the main-stays of Arsenal’s central defence, Campbell is obviously going to be emergency cover, with the odd cup game, but I can’t see him making a position his own in the league.