FA Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe towering Dane has made only two starts in the Premier League so far this season, and has in the past been vocal about not receiving enough game time.<\/p>\n
The Frenchman also dropped a hint that the forward could be involved in the all-important Champions League second leg against Barcelona, if he puts in a strong performance against Sunderland.<\/p>\n
“It [the hat-trick against Leyton Orient] puts him in contention to play against Sunderland. For us that is a vital game,” Wenger told reporters.<\/p>\n
“If we win it it puts us in a great position.<\/p>\n
“But he [Bendtner] played well last year at Barcelona but what is important now is that if he plays he plays well against Sunderland.”<\/p>\n
The Gunners can put the pressure on Manchester United by reducing the gap between the two sides to just one point on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The north London club also have a game in hand over the Old Trafford outfit, which makes the coming games very important – particularly more so as the boss has confirmed that winning the Premier League is now the priority.<\/p>\n
And with Robin van Persie out for three weeks due to a knee injury, the onus falls on Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh to do the damage up front.<\/p>\n
Wenger said: “We have lost Van Persie so for Bendtner and Chamakh to score is very important.<\/p>\n
“We need them to have the level of confidence you need your strikers to have to take on the big games.<\/p>\n
“They took their chances [on Wednesday] and did very well.”<\/p>\n
Concerning Chamakh, the manager added: “With the games here in front of us we need Chamakh.<\/p>\n
“He had a great start to the season until the end of November and beginning of December.<\/p>\n
“After he had a little bit of burnout and now in training he looks to have come back.<\/p>\n
“For a while he looked very tired but it is really good for him to have scored.”<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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