Sun Jihai's Man City braced for Arsenal visit
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-24 14:28

Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan is hoping two consecutive wins will lift his team's spirits in time to face champions Arsenal this weekend.

 

Man City boss Kevin Keegan

City's dismal start to the season, with three defeats and a draw in their opening five games, battered their confidence and led to speculation that Keegan's days in charge could be numbered.

 The former England manager is hoping, however, that a 2-1 win over promoted Crystal Palace and a 7-1 League Cup demolition of Barnsley will make his team believe they can get a result against Arsene Wenger's record-breaking Gunners.

 "We have got some momentum going and we have a good spirit around the place," Keegan told the club's website.

 "There is a very thin line between a lack of confidence and people saying that the spirit is not good. Players, when they don't win football matches and repeatedly get disappointed when they think they are going to go forward, can lose confidence.

 "That can look sometimes like a lack of spirit when it is a lack of confidence. Now we have two wins on the trot and a game on Saturday that everyone will relish."

 Keegan said the key for his players was to set targets.

 "Anyone can be negative but being positive is something you have to be and you must picture yourselves beating Arsenal," he said.

 CAMPBELL HOPES

 Arsenal need no such motivating as they look to extend their unbeaten league record to 47 games against a side they also meet in the League Cup third round next month.

 Manager Arsene Wenger hopes England central defender Sol Campbell will play his first game since Euro 2004 after injury, providing a further boost for the league leaders after the successful return from injury of skipper Patrick Vieira.

 Second-placed Chelsea get the action underway in Saturday's early kick-off at Middlesbrough, Manchester United travel to unbeaten Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool host Norwich City.

 Surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw by Spurs last weekend, Chelsea are likely to face two players they recently offloaded to Boro -- striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and fellow Dutchman Boudewijn Zenden in midfield. Boro are tough to beat on their own turf and Jose Mourinho's side need to put aside thoughts of next week's Champions League game against their manager's old club Porto.

 Manchester United, buoyed by the return of defender Rio Ferdinand in Monday's victory over old rivals Liverpool, aim to become the first team to beat Spurs this season.

 Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is returning to form after a lengthy injury layoff, winger Cristiano Ronaldo goes from strength to strength and skipper Roy Keane is once again providing a commanding presence in midfield.

 United should provide Tottenham's biggest test yet under new French manager Jacques Santini, who will hope England defender Ledley King continues the impressive form he showed at Euro 2004.

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