Arsene Wenger has taunted Aston Villa by claiming they should have buried Arsenal for good in the race for Champions League football.

The Gunners travel to bottom club West Brom tonight just two days after Villa missed the chance to open up an eight-point gap in the battle for fourth place.

Martin O'Neill's side slumped to a 2-2 draw after conceding twice late on against Stoke and Wenger believes the pressure of the run-in could also affect Chelsea and Liverpool, who are just one point further ahead of Villa.

Arsenal lie fifth in the Premier League after four successive goalless draws but the Frenchman said: "Stoke's comeback was a very big surprise for me. I think that Villa have lost a big opportunity to put us eight points behind and we want to take advantage of that. It's down to our consistency and I have said that many times.

"At the moment, there is pressure on Villa, on us and everybody. Maybe not only Villa are catchable. We have to put performances in to make us come back as quickly as possible."

Wenger's bullish attitude even extended to runaway leaders Manchester United, who also won the Carling Cup on Sunday to secure their second trophy of the season.

United can move ten points clear with victory at Newcastle tonight but the 59-year-old insists they fail to command the same authority in matches as Arsenal achieve.

"It's a fine line - I have watched Man United get an opening here and there and they are a great side but I don't feel they dominate the games like we do," said Wenger. "The trophies flow in for them at the moment so it's all natural for them. Even on Sunday they were so convinced they would win it in the end because they have no doubt.

"They put themselves in that position. We were in that position as well, we just need to continue to focus.

"I believe that the spirit of the team is great. I have never seen a team not being rewarded for that kind of spirit and quality."

Despite Arsenal's recent shortcomings in front of goal, it would be a minor miracle should tonight's match finish in a fifth blank in a row.

West Brom have conceded more goals and lost more games than any other team in the division, as manager Tony Mowbray continues his commitment to an attacking philosophy.

Some view it as naivety but others find the Baggies' approach admirable and it is little surprise that Wenger is of the latter persuasion when considering how defensive-minded sides such as Fulham, Sunderland and West Ham have stifled the Gunners in recent matches.

"I think Tony Mowbray is doing a great job," he said. "There is a fine line between succeeding and not succeeding but in the longer term any manager with a positive philosophy will have success.

"If you want your players to improve you have to try and play. That is why I am convinced it is the right attitude."

Andrey Arshavin is likely to play in his first away game for the club and the Russian admits he is still short of match fitness following his £15million January move from Zenit St Petersburg.

Arshavin said: "I was rather tired even in the first half [against Fulham on Saturday] and in the second one I felt dreadful fatigue. To tell the truth I lack freshness for the whole match yet. But I assume that it will become easier and easier every match."

Johan Djourou is expected to partner Kolo Toure at centre-back after William Gallas was ruled out with an ankle problem, though Wenger expects him to return soon.

He said: "Gallas has an ankle problem he has had for a while and we want to cure it. He will probably be back for Sunday's FA Cup tie against Burnley."

Theo Walcott is also set to return after undergoing a shoulder operation following a dislocation in November.

West Brom's on-loan striker Jay Simpson is ineligible against his permanent employers but captain Jonathan Greening should return after five weeks out with a knee injury.