Hailed as a lion by Arsene Wenger last week, Arsenal's Kolo Toure tells Michael Walker that the club's new defence will become a force to be reckoned with - it just needs time

Kolo Toure prayed yesterday. Sarcastic remarks about the need to, given that Toure is now part of an Arsenal central defence at the centre of national debate, are inappropriate at this point. Toure is a Muslim and Friday is his day of prayer. It leaves Sunday clear for other things, like Manchester United. "My religion is just one part of my life," Toure said. "I pray when I can, when I have time. It's not as if I'm in the dressing room and get down and pray there."

Arsenal's 3-0 deconstruction by Internazionale on Wednesday night was of such drama, however, that many feel it is time for intervention from a higher authority. All Arsene Wenger wants is greater authority and the Arsenal manager has the opportunity to see his players show it.

After Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow come Newcastle next Friday at Highbury. It is the first game of a 25-day period that will shape Arsenal's season. Liverpool and Chelsea follow in the Premiership, Lokomotiv Moscow and Dynamo Kiev away in the Champions League.

But lose, and lose heavily, at Old Trafford and many will not wait for October 21st to pass judgment. Arsenal may be top of the Premiership and Wednesday's match may have been the first game of six this season they have lost but there was something fundamental about the display that has immediately brought a word like crisis into discussions. Whereas against United at Old Trafford two and half years ago Arsenal had Igors Stepanovs and Gilles Grimandi in central defence when losing 6-1, against Inter they had their first-choice XI out. In Toure and Sol Campbell they had their new central partnership and the institution within an institution creaked.

"It was hard because sometimes you feel like you can do nothing in a game," said Toure of Inter yesterday morning. "They scored with every chance. Afterwards I went home and watched the video. You have to go through the tape and learn from it. It was really bad watching it. I slept little. It's hard sleeping after every game but that was really hard. You think about it and how you could do better. Yesterday it was on my mind all day but from this morning I move on and look forward."

People of faith tend to be optimists but, when Toure examined the future, his big eyes widened warily. "It's going to be really tough for us over the next month because we know we were really bad in the last game. We need to make everything better.

"We are not really confident after Wednesday, so Sunday is very important. We can get our power back from there."

That is easier said than done, especially as Campbell is doubtful for tomorrow following the death of his father, Sewell.

"He looks unlikely to play," said Wenger. "He's not in today. I'll have a chat with him tonight. I will make a decision tomorrow."

If Campbell does not play, Martin Keown will step in beside Toure. The three men, Keown, Campbell, Toure - 37, 29, 22 - will jockey for two positions until January at least. There may still be no cash spare then and so it is reassuring for Arsenal that Toure is a centre-half by instinct and upbringing, rather than the converted midfielder people in England believe him to be.

Toure has played every minute of every Arsenal game there this season and Wenger said: "I think he has done extremely well. On Wednesday night, in my opinion, he was a lion."

A 5ft 10in lion admittedly but one who showed his pace when chasing Inter's Obafemi Martins.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, at 6ft 2in, is a tall order to follow. "Van Nistelrooy is good, a clever player, always on your back, watching," said Toure. "But I am good as well. I don't worry about it. I will show what I can do in the game. Martins was really, really good, so fast, but in the next game in Milan it will be tough for him. I know what he does very well now and I won't let him do it next time.

"I want to show my best position and that is centre-half. Losing 3-0 did not help but I know if I keep going I will show people here that I am a defender. I have to work harder.

"People in England think I am a midfielder but I know defence really well. I am more comfortable there and I know that better than anyone. I know myself. I have the mentality of a defender. Seeing the game in front of me is what comes easy to me."

Toure has been seeing the game since childhood in the Ivory Coast. One of seven brothers and two sisters - "an African family," he smiled - Toure was captain and centre-half for Asec Mimosas in Abidjan. One brother, Yaya, is with Arsenal's sister club in Belgium, Beveren. In his second full season at Highbury Toure is now captain of his country and a national figure - "No, not like David Beckham. I'm Kolo."

"Everybody who knows me in the Ivory Coast knows me for playing as a central defender. Whenever I went back home last season people would ask: 'Kolo, why do Arsenal put you in midfield?' I'm a natural defender. When I'm at the back things come naturally; I don't have to force anything.

"When I came to Arsenal, I knew about the defence. I met Tony Adams, a really nice guy who really helped me, like Sol and Martin did. You don't find senior players helping younger players at other clubs like that. To be a regular in the team is the hardest challenge for me now. The manager told me: 'Kolo, it will be hard for you to play there straightaway'. I am not stupid, I knew I was young and that I just had to show him how big-hearted I was and to grab my chance whenever it came along. Now he's given me the chance in that position and, apart from Wednesday, I feel great."

The trouble is Inter has provoked so much analysis that it is hard for the neutral to use a phrase such as "apart from Wednesday". But Toure had a response similar to his manager's. "You have to give us time to work together, you have to give us 20 games before you judge the new Arsenal defence. The season has only just started. Pressure is in your head but you just concentrate on yourself and being the best. We can beat any team in the world if we work hard."

These were upbeat words from Toure, though Wenger said that the rest of his players were still suffering disappointment yesterday.

"I feel overall we lost our discipline offensively and defensively and I think we want to show it was a one-off," Wenger said. "It was the first game we've lost this season, so it's difficult to say it is a trend. Sunday is a big game; it will have a big psychological impact on the season. This time it will be about knowing where we stand."

Like Wenger, Toure has spent his time standing in front of his video, not on his knees in prayer. "God understands I have a big game, of course. I love football. I'm like a fan - or Mr Wenger."