SILVA: REDS MEETING WILL DECIDE THIRD
Brazilian star Gilberto Silva accepts that the next time he is back in Liverpool, the outcome will decide who finishes third in the Barclays Premiership.
The 30-year-old captained Arsenal in their last-ditch defeat in the snow at Everton on Sunday and admits the Gunners will be fighting to hold on to third place when they return to Merseyside at Anfield in a fortnight.
The clash with Liverpool, a lunchtime showdown on March 31, will be the next match for both the Gunners and Rafael Benitez's side.
And Gilberto insists Arsenal will have to do a lot better than they did at Goodison Park, where Andrew Johnson's late strike just compounded the misery of the North Londoners, who lost in three cup competition in recent weeks.
Arsenal's season has been in tatters ever since, and pride and third place is all they have to play for now.
Gilberto said: "We let our concentration slip in those last minutes against Everton, but the game has gone now.
"What we must do now is concentrate on our next game which will be at Liverpool. We need to have that in our mind and we know we need to do much better there than we did at Everton.
"We need to come back stronger from the international break. I will be with Brazil playing in Sweden, but that will have to be put to the back of our minds on our return.
"Sometimes when you have a bad result it helps to play again straight away, other times you need a break.
"But I hope this time the break will help us because these last few days and weeks have been very hard and very painful for us."
He added: "I have had to play central defence recently, that has been hard for me because it has been a long time since I played there. But I have to do it because of injuries and suspensions.
"I would expect that for the next game at Liverpool I will be back into my midfield role. I would rather be playing there because it is my natural position.
"I have spoken with Arsene (Wenger) about it and I accepted that I had to help the team by playing in defence.
"Every game is important and everybody has to co-operate with the manager. It has not only happened to me, with so many strikers injured or suspended there have been other players asked to play in different positions and everybody is trying to do their best for the team.
"It is the same for me. When Arsene said could I play at the back, of course I have done it for the team. I have tried to do my best. More
The 30-year-old captained Arsenal in their last-ditch defeat in the snow at Everton on Sunday and admits the Gunners will be fighting to hold on to third place when they return to Merseyside at Anfield in a fortnight.
The clash with Liverpool, a lunchtime showdown on March 31, will be the next match for both the Gunners and Rafael Benitez's side.
And Gilberto insists Arsenal will have to do a lot better than they did at Goodison Park, where Andrew Johnson's late strike just compounded the misery of the North Londoners, who lost in three cup competition in recent weeks.
Arsenal's season has been in tatters ever since, and pride and third place is all they have to play for now.
Gilberto said: "We let our concentration slip in those last minutes against Everton, but the game has gone now.
"What we must do now is concentrate on our next game which will be at Liverpool. We need to have that in our mind and we know we need to do much better there than we did at Everton.
"We need to come back stronger from the international break. I will be with Brazil playing in Sweden, but that will have to be put to the back of our minds on our return.
"Sometimes when you have a bad result it helps to play again straight away, other times you need a break.
"But I hope this time the break will help us because these last few days and weeks have been very hard and very painful for us."
He added: "I have had to play central defence recently, that has been hard for me because it has been a long time since I played there. But I have to do it because of injuries and suspensions.
"I would expect that for the next game at Liverpool I will be back into my midfield role. I would rather be playing there because it is my natural position.
"I have spoken with Arsene (Wenger) about it and I accepted that I had to help the team by playing in defence.
"Every game is important and everybody has to co-operate with the manager. It has not only happened to me, with so many strikers injured or suspended there have been other players asked to play in different positions and everybody is trying to do their best for the team.
"It is the same for me. When Arsene said could I play at the back, of course I have done it for the team. I have tried to do my best. More
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