Curbishley: Voiced concerns (MikeHewitt/Allsport)

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger and Charlton counterpart Alan Curbishley could hardly have presented more contrasting figures at the end of the opening day's fixtures.

Curbishley, understated and modest as ever, was nevertheless glowing with fully deserved satisfaction after watching his promoted team dismantle fellow newcomers Manchester City 4-0 - a scoreline which, if anything, flattered their Valley visitors.

Wenger, on the other hand, has seen his club clouded by disciplinary woes again. Patrick Vieira has been sent off twice in as many games, and then came the implausible spectacle of the mild-mannered manager facing an FA rap for allegedly intimidating the fourth official after his team had lost at Sunderland.

He was scarcely happier even after his team bounced back to beat Liverpool at Highbury as three were dismissed. Again disappointed by refereeing decisions against Vieira, he cut a frustrated figure.

Curbishley, too, was niggled by a sending off, in this case centre-back Carl Tiler, as Charlton crashed 3-0 to Everton at Goodison Park. Not for the first time, the Premiership had administered a swift shock to one of its recent arrivals.

But if most of the talk about Arsenal has centred around their explosive few days, you won't find the Charlton manager being taken in by claims that their recent problems could distract them on Saturday.

When Charlton were last in the top flight, they played the Gunners at Highbury early in the season. A thoroughly deserved 0-0 draw could not shake the Charlton boss from his belief that Wenger's men would be in the hunt for honours - a belief he still holds.

He explained: 'Arsenal have had their problems, and I'm sure Arsene Wenger is desperately trying to change that.

'I still think they're the team Manchester United have to beat. They've been there before, and they have got the experience and the players.

'I've got admiration for the way they play. I like their style and I'm looking forward to the game.

'Liverpool found it hard at Highbury, Manchester United are going to find it hard at Highbury and so will Charlton. If we get a walloping, there will still be something we can get from it.'

New £3.75 million striker Jonatan Johansson, signed from Rangers, could be among those trying to give Charlton a morale-boosting scalp. The Finn is in the squad after overcoming a hamstring injury and scoring in a midweek reserve game.

Wenger, who could face a 12-match ban if found guilty on the intimidation charge, will play Vieira in the French midfielder's final game before the start of his five-match ban.

His logic is clear - he says he always picks his best team, and the combative Vieira will be in it - and so is his anger at the state of Premiership refereeing.

He believes the Premiership is becoming 'a circus', and added: 'Arsenal are always in the spotlight because we are a big club, and maybe minor incidents are blown up into big ones maybe.

'I can take it because I have had to meet many challenges since I came to England, and so long as I still enjoy the game here, working with a good team and the great passion among the fans, I will carry on.

'But take the case of Vieira being sent off against Liverpool. When you see it again on television he did nothing wrong. He went for the ball and played it while the Liverpool guy went for him.

The referee is saying it is a two-footed tackle, but clearly it is not. What worries me is that the referee has had the chance to see it again on TV and still thinks his decision to send Patrick off was right.'