Arsenal head the table by a point from United, who have a game in hand. Walcott said: "Manchester United have not lost in the league this season so hopefully we can be the first to beat them. And we need to get a few points ahead of teams. United have got that game in hand against Blackpool, so we want to overcome that and stay at the top of the league. We have been at the top of the league in previous years and we have not stayed there."
He added: "We must go to Old Trafford and play with no fear. We must enjoy ourselves and express ourselves. Then, our best performance will come out. United are not playing their best but are still there. Hopefully we won't catch them on a good day. But we have new players in the squad – we have been quite lucky with injuries – and hopefully we will have Cesc [Fábregas] back." Wenger rates the Spanish midfielder's chances of featuring at 50% because of hamstring problems.
The England forward, who made his 150th Arsenal appearance in the Champions League win over Partizan Belgrade on Wednesday, said: "Our away form [five wins from eight league outings] at the moment is fantastic. We find it quite comfortable. This is another test for us - a big test. But we did it at Manchester City [3-0] and so hopefully we can do it there.
"As long as we don't lose. That's very important for us. We hardly picked up any points against the bigger clubs last season [lost home and away to United and Chelsea] but this season everyone is beating each other."
Asked whether Arsenal's failure to beat United or Chelsea in the last campaign was a mental issue or that Wenger's team were just not good enough, Walcott said: "The better teams have won. We may play fantastic football but if you don't get it in the back of the net you're not going to win."
Walcott entered Arsenal's final Champions League group game in the 73rd minute with the score at 1-1 and conscious that another goal from the Serbs could knock them out of the competition. But the 21-year-old scored within four minutes. "It is always frustrating being on the bench, ask any player - it is not just me," he said. "But it comes to the point when you do not want to dwell on it all the time. You just want to come off the bench, show what you can do and try and get back in the team. And this season, I have come back [from injury] and the team has been playing well and winning so that is difficult to get back in . Hopefully, I have shown what I can do."
Arsenal finished runners-up in Group H. Now, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Schalke the potential opponents when the draw is made tomorrow week, have the Gunners made further progress more difficult for themselves? "If you want to be the best you have to play the best and go one step further. If we do get Barcelona, we don't want [Lionel] Messi to do what he did to us last season [all four goals in a 4-1 win]. I'd love to go back there and show them what we are all about. We have now got great experience to progress. We want to win some silverware for the fans. They have waited too long.
"As long as we don't get Barcelona on a day like they played Real Madrid [5-0 winners last week] - they were fantastic. But it doesn't matter. We will play anyone, enjoy ourselves and try and win the game."
Source: Jamie Jackson, The Guardian on 9 Dec 10
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