Laurent Koscielny: We're United's only challengers - Football - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Laurent Koscielny: We're United's only challengers

Laurent Koscielny today claimed Arsenal are Manchester United's main Premier League title rivals.

The defender scored the winner in the 2-1 victory over Everton last night which left his side five points behind table-toppers United, who beat Aston Villa 3-1.

With Manchester City and Chelsea four and five points further behind respectively, Koscielny believes the title race is shaping up to be a two-horse race.

He said: "It looks like we are the last contenders - United are five points ahead of us and they are more points ahead of Chelsea, Manchester City and the others.

"Those teams can come back strong as well but we look like we could challenge United. We have to keep focused on our games and not look too much at theirs. We have to keep winning and hopefully they will drop points at some point.

"It is not going to be easy but we have big faith in the squad. We have to keep working together - that is the key because if we don't concede goals, we will always have an opportunity to score ourselves.

"Between now and the end of the season, it's going to be a big fight."

Everton took a 24th-minute lead at Emirates with a controversial goal as Louis Saha appeared offside from Seamus Coleman's initial pass but when Koscielny's attempted interception fell into the path of the French striker, the flag stayed down and he went on to score. But the Gunners were back on level terms through Andrey Arshavin's 70th-minute strike.

"The ball came to me and I tried to play it," said Koscielny. "He was offside when the ball leaves the Everton player but the referee didn't give it. I don't believe he was onside at the start of the pass. It was a strange one - he was like 10 yards offside. I was surprised he gave the goal."

Comments

Don't Miss
Gala night for the Queen of arts - stars turn out in their hundreds to pay tribute

Happy & glorious

Stars turn out in their hundreds to pay tribute to Queen
Prints charming: patterned trousers for summer

Prints charming

Patterned trousers for summer
Promethipedia: the lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus

Promethipedia

The lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus
The Middletan: Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London

The Middletan

Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London
Amy Childs bares all like Britney

Dare to bare

Amy Childs vajazzles like Britney
Thais go Gaga: singer’s ‘fake rolex’ tweet sparks new tour row... but fans still mob her at airport

Thais go Gaga

Singer mobbed at airport
Trip the bright fantastic - in vertiginous neon

Fashion

Trip the bright fantastic - in vertiginous neon
Chelsea Champions League celebrations - in pictures

Victory parade

Chelsea Champions League celebrations
High-flying heroes

High flying heroes

David Oyelowo reveals all about new film Red Tails
The Twitter Diaries: Think Bridget Jones tries social networking

The Twitter Diaries

Think Bridget Jones tries social networking