Patrick Vieira played the whole of Arsenal’s 5-1 League Cup win at Highbury over Wolverhampton and said he felt ready to resume his role in the club’s Premiership challenge.
In his first start after a two-month injury layoff, Vieira staked his claim for a place away to Leicester on Saturday and in the crucial Champions League match at home to Lokomotiv Moscow on December 10, which will decide if the Gunners progess to the knockout phase.
”When you’re winning so easy you want to stay on the pitch,” the Arsenal captain said. ”I’m fit and it’s up to the boss to see if I can play or not.”
The Gunners captain suffered a thigh injury against Newcastle on September 26 and aggravated it as a substitute against Dynamo Kiev a month later.
But the French midfielder is eager to restore Arsenal to the top of the Premiership after last weekend’s draw with Fulham saw them drop a point behind new leaders Chelsea. Manchester United are third, three points behind Arsenal.
”There’s a really long way to go but it will be a race between the three teams,” Vieira said.
The captain paid tribute to 20-year-old compatriot Jeremie Aliadiere, a player on the fringe of the Arsenal first team who scored twice in the League Cup romp with cultured finishes.
”He worked really hard and deserved his two goals,” Vieira enthused. ”He showed the manager he’s ready for the top.
”When you have Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp as an example, you can only learn from this.
”He’s training with the first team, he wants first-team football. He’s worked really hard and now it’s up to him to keep going.” — Sapa-AFP