Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger says the sheer momentum behind the league leaders will help them cope with injuries and a mass suspension for Saturday's game at Birmingham City.

Skipper Patrick Vieira, Ray Parlour, Martin Keown and Lauren are all banned, while midfielder Gilberto is unavailable after a trip to Brazil for international duty in midweek and forward Sylvain Wiltord has a groin strain.

Wenger has just 16 seniors for the trip to St Andrews, including full backs Justin Hoyte and Gael Clichy, who have played only one minute of premier league football between them.

"We are decimated in defence and in the middle of the pitch, so everybody has to work very hard for each other," Wenger told reporters at the club's training ground.

"Fortunately, we are in a good position from the beginning of the season and we have built up a dynamic which I think can help us to keep it going."

Though some of his banned players are also injured, Arsenal are paying the price of a fracas at the end of a 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in September.

Unbeaten in their 12 games so far, Wenger dismissed any comparisons with Chelsea, who are second in the table and just a point behind after a 111 million pound ($188.8 million) investment by new owner Roman Abramovich provided a squad with real strength in depth.

"I do not envy Chelsea at all," said Wenger, who made no major pre-season purchases.

"I have a great belief in the mental strength of this team...this will again show how good we are.

Given the defensive crisis, Frenchman Pascal Cygan is in line for a rare start at fifth-placed Birmingham after an unconvincing spell at Arsenal since joining in July 2002.

"Pascal has played in many big games and done very well," Wenger said. "I agree that maybe he was surprised last season by the intensity of English football because it was his first year and he needed to adapt."