Inconsistent Arsenal face Everton test

Arsenal?s season is proving frustratingly — if typically — inconsistent and a victory at Everton would be the ideal way for Arsene Wenger?s side to restate their title ambitions.

The meeting between the two sides comes seven days after Newcastle United stunned the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium, inflicting a single goal victory that appeared to expose the home side?s flaws.

There is little doubt that Wenger?s side is far from being the finished article.

Yet away to Wolves this week, they produced the kind of gritty away performance that reminded their main rivals in the battle for the championship that they should never be ruled out.

So far the London club’s campaign is following much the same pattern as last year when Arsenal repeatedly lost ground on Chelsea and Manchester United only to claw their way back into contention.

Ultimately Wenger’s team fell short last season, but should they win on Merseyside — even the manager knows it would be asking too much to repeat last season’s opening day 6-1 victory at Goodison Park — they would undeniably be back in the race.

Their ability to sustain the challenge will be lifted by the return to full fitness of Robin van Persie.

The striker is being eased back into action and will again be part of the Gunners squad while Wenger is hoping to strike a compromise arrangement with Holland manager Bert van Marwijk that will allow the forward to face Turkey next Wednesday.

“We will sit down with Robin and the Dutch manager to sort that out,” said the Arsenal manager, who initially criticised van Persie?s selection.

“On one side this situation was completely surreal 10 or 12 days ago. Now he is still not completely there but if he can get 45 minutes and we can find an agreement on that it would be good for him to get some competition.

“We have to see how he gets through the weekend and after we will decide that.”

The dismissal of Laurent Koscielny against Newcastle, meanwhile, meant Arsenal have now collected four red cards in 12 league games this season and the manager accepts that record must change.

“I can?t deny we have a bad record, the only thing I can say is we will try to improve it,” Wenger said.

“If you look at our record in the last four or five years we had always a good record and that has not changed because because we want to kick people. We will improve it.

“It?s a bit down to bad luck as well because if you look at the number of fouls we make it?s not spectacular. But we have been punished severely and we can only look at ourselves and try to improve it.”

Everton manager Moyes will obviously be doing all he can to upstage Wenger and maintain Everton’s current seven-match unbeaten run but the Goodison Park boss is fluent in his praise for his opposite number.

“It is nearly insulting to ask me my opinion of the job Arsene Wenger has done at Arsenal,” he said.

“Arsene Wenger has been unbelievable for English football in general. I think he has been partly involved in changing the culture of our game.

“Everybody has to admire the way he brings in young players and encourages them. He puts his faith in them and trusts them to play. I think he has done great things for English football and he deserves huge credit.”