Jol backs Arsenal to reach top four

19 April 2013 16:17

Fulham manager Martin Jol is confident that Arsene Wenger will again lead Saturday's opponents Arsenal to a top-four finish.

The Frenchman has not enjoyed the best of times this season, but a run of seven wins from their last nine league games has put Arsenal back in the hunt for a top-four finish ahead of Saturday's trip to Craven Cottage. Former Spurs boss Jol thinks Arsenal will end the season successfully.

And he said: "I admire him, he is an unbelievable manager. He is emotional, he wants to win but even this season if you look at them they have been under pressure. Then they had an unbelievable win at Bayern, they came back and other teams like Chelsea, Spurs and Everton are fighting for a top-three, top-four spot. They are doing it again and I think they will make the top four."

Arsenal have won just one of their last four trips to Craven Cottage and Jol sees Saturday as the ideal opportunity to make amends for Wednesday's 3-0 west London derby defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

"I can remember the team struggling here," he said. "But, for example, we have done very well against Chelsea over the last four games and then we lost 3-0.

"Arsenal have done ever so well the last couple of months. They are on the top now and they want to play Champions League football.

"Hopefully we can get back to winning ways because that is important."

Fulham will welcome back influential midfielder Steve Sidwell for Saturday's game after a three-match ban, although Sascha Riether is a doubt.

Alex Kacaniklic could be involved after being recalled from a loan spell at Burnley, while Damien Duff, Ashkan Dejagah and Mahamadou Diarra are all unavailable through injury.

Another unavailable is on-loan Emmanuel Frimpong as he is ineligible to face his parent club.

Source: PA