Arsene Wenger was right, Arsenal finally do have the fighting spirit to win back the title

Strike: Cesc Fabregas finishes a fine Gunners move at Goodison
11 April 2012

One of the near constant themes in Arsenal's recent failure to win the Premier League title has been fallibility away from home but yesterday's victory over Everton appears to suggest that weakness can be overcome.

Perhaps only with victory at Chelsea — where they lost despite an improved showing earlier this season — or Manchester United will such a case become overwhelming but they passed this test at Goodison Park admirably.

Although it must be noted that Everton were decidedly poor and a pale imitation of the side that had gone seven games unbeaten, the Gunners displayed an impressive force of will to turn the outcome in their favour.

Arsenal habitually fail to win matches of this nature and their wider fate has been heavily influenced as a result. Since their last title in 2004, Arsene Wenger's side have picked up at least six fewer points (and often an awful lot more) on the road than the eventual champions in five out of the six campaigns.

When defeats to the League winners are also factored in, it is these lost points that explain the gap that has existed between the Gunners and Chelsea and United.

While yet to prove capable of winning the big games, victories such as this suggest they are addressing their travails on the road and all Wenger's protestations that his team have a greater capacity for the fight ring true on days like these.

"The performance yesterday has shown we have something that is not only quality football but we have fighting spirit," said Wenger.

"That is an ingredient you will need if you want to fight for the championship like we want to do. At the moment we face Chelsea who are on a little bit of a different pace but what is important is that we keep going with these qualities."

That pace is slowing after Chelsea's shock 3-0 home defeat by Sunderland and Wenger will take great delight in finding his side able to position themselves for maximum gain. Arsenal climbed above United into second place thanks to a victory that was only ever in doubt in the opening and concluding 10 minutes.

Everton started with purpose as Seamus Coleman exploited the space vacated by the marauding Gael Clichy to attack down the right wing and he created the home side's best chance as Tim Cahill headed over after 11 minutes when well placed.

The Gunners had threatened on a number of occasions in reply before Bacary Sagna picked the ball up tight to the goalline, saw only a wall of blue shirts and promptly smashed it goalwards, beating Tim Howard high at his near post. Cesc Fabregas added a second after a delightful interchange with Marouane Chamakh, who minutes later missed staggeringly from four yards out to make the game safe.

Everton were adequate in possession but severely lacked cohesion in the final third and the woeful Mikel Arteta was replaced as David Moyes went for broke with the introduction of Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford.

Lukasz Fabianski was forced into a couple of decent saves, notably from Beckford and Louis Saha, but although Cahill threatened to spark a comeback, Arsenal held on.

Their resilience was embodied by Fabregas's performance. He may have courted a move to Barcelona in the summer but his commitment remains flawless on the pitch.

Fabregas embodies Arsenal. He is the talisman and as they have appeared to develop a stronger backbone, the Spaniard has developed a love of the fight.

His over-zealous tackle on Wolves's Stephen Ward last Wednesday was perhaps evidence of excessive aggression and a similar, if watered down, tackle on Sylvain Distin provoked comparable ire but the same card.

"Every time Cesc goes for the ball everybody studies with a microscope what he has done," said Wenger. "From the bench I could not see it. When you are on the right you have the linesman in front of you. The most important qualities we showed were discipline, commitment, togetherness, desire and focus for 90 minutes. That is what got us the points. When you come here without those [qualities] you don't get the points.

"We have had two very difficult away games with Wolves and yesterday and we have got six points. We were a bit disappointed after last Sunday but I feel that was under special circumstances against Newcastle.

"The players get a lot of encouragement from the way they are playing at the moment. Let's get points into our account and see where we stand in the end, that's what we're trying to do."

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