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Aserne Wenger

LONDON. — The character Arsenal showed in battling back from a goal down to beat Stoke City 3-1 in the English Premier League on Saturday was proof of a growing mental strength in the team, according to manager Arsene Wenger.Wenger sides have often been accused of wilting under pressure in the past but Arsenal have shown more resilience this season, fighting back to earn points against Manchester United, Paris St Germain, Southampton and Ludogorets.

“It’s the sixth time that we are down in the game and come back to win since the start of the season. That’s not a coincidence,” Wenger told British media.

“It doesn’t happen just because you say ‘Come on, you have to keep fighting’. That means there is something in the team that is quite strong, but after that we have to keep the spirit because that can be quite fragile.”

The club have been utilising the services of psychologist and former Oxford United centre half Ceri Evans, who has also worked with the world champion New Zealand rugby team.

Winger Theo Walcott admitted that Arsenal used to have a tendency to let setbacks throw them off their game but cited their reaction to the questionable penalty awarded against them on Saturday as proof of the change in attitude.

“You can see there was disappointment (but) I don’t think we dwelt on it too long,” said Walcott.

“I think we can feel sorry for ourselves in the past and say ‘It is not a penalty’ but you can’t change the decision once it has been made, that’s the thing.

“You are going to be annoyed at the time, that’s fine, but you have just got to deal with it and we reacted in a positive way.

“The intensity and the commitment and the hard work is showing not just from 11 players, but it’s the whole squad. The manager always digs that into us, how important the whole squad is. When called upon everyone who has been involved coming off the bench or starting has done a fantastic job and that is the difference this year to previous years where maybe we weren’t quite ready as a whole squad.”

Arsenal, who are second in the table, travel to face ninth-placed Everton tonight and could go on top of the table, at least until Chelsea face Sunderland a day later.

Arsenal’s brief stay at the top of the English Premier League table only lasted 21 hours, from just before 5pm on Saturday evening until 2pm Sunday afternoon. Chelsea are playing so well that it may take Arsenal some time to get back to the summit, although they could still prepare for their trip up to Goodison Park with the confidence of a side who can still hope to be near the top of the table as the season continues.

It does feel as if Arsenal are in a stronger state in the title race than they often are this close to Christmas. They may not quite have the fizz of Liverpool, the power of Chelsea or the tactical futurism of Manchester City, but what they do have is stability, experience and depth.

They are not going to gallop away with the title but they could plausibly still be there once everyone else has burnt out.

Fixtures (all 9:45pm unless otherwise stated)

Today: Bournemouth v Leicester City; Everton v Arsenal.

Tomorrow: Middlesbrough v Liverpool; Sunderland v Chelsea; West Ham United v Burnley; Crystal Palace v Manchester United (10pm); Manchester City v Watford (10pm); Stoke City v Southampton (10pm); Tottenham Hotspur v Hull City (10pm); West Bromwich Albion v Swansea City (10pm). — Reuters.