Arsene Wenger: I did not rubbish Chelsea

Blues midfielder Michael Ballack insisted the predictable' Gunners were easy to beat after Wenger claimed that Carlo Ancelotti's side did not demonstrate football' in their 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.

But the Arsenal manager, showing the strain of his team's recent poor run which has seen them draw one and lose three of their last four matches, maintained today he was not being negative about Chelsea's display.

"I was full of compliments and praise for Chelsea after the game and I find it completely unfair that the media take one word of my press conference to turn it into a kind of probe every time," said Wenger, whose team face a crucial clash with Liverpool tomorrow at Emirates Stadium.

"You did that at Aston Villa [after a 0-0 draw], you did that at Chelsea and every time if you look at the intent of my press conference it was positive towards the opponent.

"I have been in England long enough to know that the team who win can say what they want. They are right. It is my job to take a distance from that and analyse the game in a calm way with a clear head and to analyse what is right."

Wenger told Arsenal's AGM in October that the club would win a trophy this season, their first since the FA Cup triumph of 2005.

Although hopes of fulfilling that prediction now seem to rest on the Champions League, Wenger insists he will remain steadfast to his beliefs.

"There is only one way to play football and that is to win games and be efficient," he said.

"The best way to win the games is most adapted to the qualities of your players and the philosophy of your club. That is what we try to be faithful to. We still have to believe in the way we do things, in the way we play and to show that strength."

Arsenal go into tomorrow's match five points ahead of a resurgent fourth-place Liverpool but nine behind leaders Chelsea.

Steven Gerrard believes defeat for the Gunners will cost them third spot. The Liverpool captain said: "I'm sure that Arsenal will be a bit of a wounded animal tomorrow.

"It's a massive game for us and the target is to try to get a result where we can push on and try to get third."