Gallas gets Gilberto backing (From The Bolton News)

Gallas gets Gilberto backing

8:55pm Thursday 27th March 2008 in

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ARSENAL midfielder Gilberto insists under-fire skipper, William Gallas, has the full backing of the Emirates dressing room.

The Gunners players and manager, Arsene Wenger, are reported to have lost patience with the former Chelsea defender in the wake of their poor run of recent form, which has seen them slip from first to third in the Barclays Premier League.

Gallas, showed his disappointment in very public fashion after Arsenal let two points slip against Birmingham last month, and was accused of defeatism, after Sunday's defeat at Chelsea, when he conceded that Arsenal were out of the title race.

That led to speculation the Arsenal players had turned on their skipper, but Gilberto insists such talk is nothing but trouble-making.

He said: "Sometimes when a thing doesn't work well like in the last weeks, some people try to create some problems.

"I'm sure he doesn't have any problems with us. He's still got the friendship of the players and the supporters."

For his part Gilberto believes the Gunners are still capable of winning the league - as well as the Champions League - but ahead of Saturday's showdown with Wanderers at the Reebok, he admitted there was now no margin for error.

"Of course we've got a chance, we're still in both competitions," said the Brazilian, who scored the Arsenal goal in last season's corresponding fixture, which Wanderers won 3-1.

"A few weeks ago we were five points clear, now we do not have the advantage. It's not a comfortable situation, because we have only seven games left.

"We've still got a chance - we're going to play Manchester United away, and the most important thing is to keep winning our games. If we win our seven games we still have a chance. We cannot afford to be beaten."