A fantastic farewell - Nicholas
By Jamie Hunt - Created on 5 May 2006
In a normal situation people would be thinking about an emotional day for Arsenal and a fond farewell to Highbury.
If they had won the league, or had nothing to play for, it doesn't always pan out as a fond farewell because you are not necessarily at full pelt in the match.
But this is similar to Chelsea's match against Manchester United last week, in that there is a statement to be made and there are potentially very important points to be won.
But at the end of it all it also a historic day for Arsenal with the end of their era at Highbury and they will want to go out on a high, sending the old lady off in a bit of style.
Wigan are an attack-minded side and they will not come to shut up shop, they will come to open the game up and try to play their part in a memorable finish at Highbury, so it is a fitting way for the old stadium to go.
I see this being a really open and cracking game of football with quite a few goals in it. I can see a fright or two for Arsenal too, because fourth position is everything to them at this moment in time.
You can ignore the Champions League on Sunday. Arsene Wenger picks his strongest side because he has got a couple of weeks until the European Cup final. Arsenal have to do their job and see what happens at Upton Park.
I expect West Ham to rest a few players but I do expect Sprus to have a problem seeing them off. The sheer agression from the West Ham fans - they were unhappy when Alan Pardew rested players against Portsmouth - will demand that West Ham make it tough for Tottenham.
I do expect Spurs to win because Pardew has the right to rest a few players but it wouldn't surprise me if West Ham do get some sort of result because it will mean a lot to the West Ham fans. I know how passionate they are against Arsenal and I think there is even more edge when it comes to Tottenhmam.
As for Wenger there is no need to rest anyone as he can give his players a couple of days off after this game and then start to prepare for Paris. Accidents can happen in training as much as in a match, so he must play his best 11 on Sunday to give Arsenal the best chance of finishing fourth.
That means another run out for Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and more importantly, it means the club's record goalscorer Thierry Henry - on a par with Ronaldinho for me as player of the year as we look forward to the head-to-head in the final - will be there to go out on a high at Highbury.
I watched Wigan play against Portsmouth for Soccer Saturday a couple of weeks ago and they have hit a brick wall, but it has been an outstanding season in the Premiership for them regardless of that and their manager has been an absolute credit to the game.
He has been attack-minded and has every right to be in the frame for manager of the year with Mark Hughes, Alan Pardew, Martin Jol and a couple of others but he has been fantastic for Wigan.
They have been a credit to the game, a privilege for the Premiership to have them, although it has not been a special season for the league itself, but they have played a major part in the Premiership being entertaining and I look forwards to seeing them again next season.
No more Highbury, its going to be so sad not to see it anymore, even though I have never been myself.
