Chelsea captain John Terry, who underwent surgery on Sunday for a broken cheekbone, will travel with his team mates to Valencia for Wednesday's Champions League Group B game.
"It is a different Arsenal now," Wenger told a news conference on Friday. "They are not going to let other teams kick them off the pitch."
Champions Manchester United stumbled to their second successive Premier League draw on Wednesday when they were held 1-1 at Portsmouth.
Chelsea set an unbeaten home record of 64 matches during their 3-2 win over Birmingham City.
A second-string Arsenal side proved strong enough to secure a 2-0 victory at Championship club Burnley on Sunday and with it a place in Monday's FA Cup fourth-round draw.
Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski could be ruled out for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring injury, manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday.
Chelsea host Villa on Wednesday, Newcastle United on Dec. 29 and are away at neighbours Fulham on new year's day.
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has agreed a new 12-month contract to stay at Old Trafford next season.
Leaders Manchester United will meet Premier League rivals Reading in the FA Cup fifth round.
While the lack of squad-strengthening is causing consternation amongst the fans, Tottenham's squad is still young and looks more than capable of standing its ground.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Manchester United beat Fulham 2-0 at Old Trafford on Monday to climb to second in the Premier League.
Burnley reached the Europa League third qualifying round with a 3-1 win over Aberdeen after extra time at Turf Moor on Thursday but now face another tough battle to increase their squad size.
A preview of the line-up action in the English Premier League
- George Best, one of the most talented footballers to grace the 'beautiful game'.
England striker Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot in Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Reading on Sunday, the Premier League champions announced.
The players are likely to get three-match Premier League bans following dismissals during last week's friendly against Porto in Amsterdam.
Arsenal has reportedly signed former England football team captain David Beckham's eldest son Brooklyn on a short-term deal.
Premier League leaders Arsenal host north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the standout tie in the draw for the third round of the FA Cup made on Sunday.
Aston Villa will be the first league visitors to Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium on the opening day of the Premier League.
For the second time in five weeks, Chelsea have been fined for failing to control their players
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
West Ham United made absolutely certain of Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday -- their third victory over their London rivals this season.
Fulham defender Sascha Riether has been charged by the FA with violent conduct for a challenge on Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj which was not seen by the match officials after the incident was dealt with under a new scheme.
In 1997 IBM's Deep Blue computer beat world chess champion Garry Kasparov. But did IBM fight dirty?
A list of the top 50 sportspeople as they stand at the end of 2003.
Manchester United will be without the two players for three games after their claims of wrongful dismissal in a friendly were rejected.
Manchester United lead the English Premier League with 53 points from 21 games; Chelsea follow with 47 while Bolton Wanderers are third.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has much to ponder as he prepares his side for Saturday's local derby against Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
France striker Louis Saha will stay at Manchester United until 2010.
A last-minute own goal gave Liverpool a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur to keep them top of the Premier League but Manchester City stayed two points behind having won at Fulham. Huddersfield Town were relegated after their defeat by Crystal Palace.
Manchester United have scored 14 goals and earned maximum points from their four matches under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Chelsea's title ambitions suffered a major blow with a shock 2-1 home defeat by bottom side Sunderland on Saturday, handing the initiative to English Premier League leaders Liverpool who visit lowly Norwich City on Sunday.
The Ivory Coast striker earned Chelsea a comfortable, though controversial, 2-0 home win over Manchester City in the Premier League.
Liverpool's Spanish manager Rafael Benitez has agreed to a new four-year deal with the club
Jacques Villeneuve has approached McLaren with a view to becoming a test driver after losing his seat at BAR.
If the Premiership champions avoid defeat on Saturday against Leicester City they would become only the second team in history to complete an unbeaten top-flight season.
US goalkeeper Kasey Keller praised the courage of team mate Brian McBride after the big striker's battling and bloodied display against Italy.
English Premier League basement dwellers Sunderland have moved quickly to reinforce their frail defence by agreeing a loan move for Fiorentina fullback Marcos Alonso until the end of the season.
United beat Leicester City at Old Trafford in the opening game of the season but Spurs present a very different quality of opponent.
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