Gunners shake off Premier League gloom

London:

After losing its league title to Manchester United, Arsenal has to lift its spirits for what looks like a routine league game against Southampton on Wednesday. But there's an added twist for Arsene Wenger's team - the Saints are also waiting for Arsenal in the FA Cup final on May 17. Wednesday's game at Highbury is something of a rehearsal for that confrontation before 74,000 fans at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Neither side will want to lose players through injury. Equally, they don't want to give away any tactical plans. But the cup final seems to mean more to the Saints than it does to Arsenal. Since Southampton won its one and only title - the 1976 FA Cup - the Gunners have collected four league championships, four FA Cups, two League Cups and a European Cup Winners Cup. Arsenal has also been a losing finalist six times during that spell, so another trip to a cup final is little consolation. "The FA Cup is not a compensation as, for me, the biggest trophy is the championship," Wenger said after his team gave up the title by losing 3-2 at home to Leeds United on Sunday. Man United, which beat Charlton 4-1 on Saturday, is eight points ahead with one game left. Arsenal has two games to go. Despite losing the title to rival Alex Ferguson, Wenger insisted his team proved itself better than Man United, which reached the Champions League quarterfinals and won the Premier League for the eighth time in 11 seasons. (AP)