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Vito Mannone believes he can handle the intensity of Sunday's London derby at West Ham because the level of pressure will be a step down from Champions League football.
Since regular first-choice stopper Manuel Almunia was sidelined with a stomach virus in mid-September, the 21-year-old Italian has kept goal in all but one of a seven-match winning streak that was only ended in stoppage time by AZ Alkmaar on Tuesday night.Such has been the impression Mannone has made on manager Arsene Wenger, Almunia found himself on the bench for the last two games despite being declared fully fit.
With knee injury victim Lukasz Fabianski suffering no adverse reaction to his first 90 minutes in five months for the reserves earlier this week, competition among the club's goalkeepers has rarely been so fierce.
But Mannone, who has kept four clean sheets in Arsenal's current run, says he is ready should he get the nod.
He said: "West Ham is another derby but when you play in the Champions League, it is the highest pressure you can get.
"We are all thinking about Sunday's game and want to get going in the Premier League title race with another victory.
"I just want to keep doing what I have been doing in the last few weeks and, so far, the boss has chosen me so I am happy."
Fabianski conceded twice in a 2-2 draw with Wolves but revealed he is ready to establish himself as Arsenal's No1 after a difficult period on the sidelines.
He said: "It's good to be back playing because the stuff you do in the gym is really boring. It is not a funny thing to be injured.
"From now on I can think really seriously about getting into the first team."
Wenger will get a chance to compare his current crop with long-time rumoured target Robert Green at Upton Park on Sunday but the Frenchman insists his three goalkeepers plus youngster Wojciech Szczesny, who kept goal in the Carling Cup to allow Mannone a rest, are all he needs to win trophies.
"I believe we have enough quality in our goalkeepers," he said. "Goalkeeper is a very difficult position. Why? It is the only position where you have only negative stress. People speak only about you when you have made a mistake."
