Arsène Wenger has praised his players for restoring credibility to Arsenal's title challenge since their heavy home defeat by Chelsea in November, despite a lengthy injury list, and said he has faith in his young team to maintain their pursuit of the trophy in the months ahead.

Arsenal will go top of the table on Wednesday if they beat Bolton Wanderers by two goals at the Emirates, albeit with Chelsea retaining a game in hand, and Wenger is intent on inflicting psychological damage on the other contenders by vaulting into first place. He is expected to include Theo Walcott and Denilson in his squad after injuries – the pair are likely to begin on the bench – as Arsenal try to repeat ­Sunday's 2-0 away victory over Owen Coyle's side.

"I believe it is an achievement [to be in with a chance of going top] but, of course, I am not stupid: we have won nothing yet but we have won some credibility," said Wenger. "However, that is not enough. We want more. At least we are in a position to fight for it and have a go. That's what we want to do but we know as well that there is a long way to go. But I have the confidence that my team will give absolutely everything. I trust their hunger, I trust their appetite and I trust their spirit, knowing of course that there is a long way to go."

Robin Van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djorou and Samir Nasri are among Arsenal's current casualties in a season that has been marked by injuries to first-team players. "I would have loved to [see where the team could have been without their injuries] but, on the other hand, it gives us a lot of credit to the players as well that, despite all that has happened, we are still there. That, when you are such a young team, is something very interesting for our club to have."

Arsenal trailed Chelsea by 11 points after their 3-0 home reverse to their London rivals back in November but the team's recovery since, amounting to 20 points from a possible 24, has propelled them back into contention. Chelseaand Manchester United, who rather stuttered through December while Arsenal rallied, must now acknowledge Wenger's charges as contenders to win their first Premier League title since 2004.

"Being top is a good target, a nice target to have, but let's first of all focus on winning the game; that is the most important thing," added Wenger, who intends to spend the week assessing Sol Campbell's fitness before his possible inclusion in the squad for the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Stoke City on Sunday. "We are there to win and we want to win the game. At the moment being top does not have much of a mathematical meaning because there is such a long way to go.

"But a psychological meaning, yes. [It shows] we are there to fight at the top of the table. It shows Chelsea and Manchester United that Arsenal are right back in there having been written off after that Chelsea defeat. That is the only step that we have definitely made, that everybody wrote us off and we are back in it."