Wenger says Arsenal, not Spurs, is north London’s No.1 team ahead of derby
LONDON (Reuters) – Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal will remain the major force in north London even if Tottenham Hotspur overturn decades of dominance to finish above the Gunners in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal has never ended below Tottenham in Wenger’s 21 years at the club although the gap has been narrowing, and last season it only leapfrogged Spurs into second spot on the final day of the season.
Victory at White Hart Lane on Sunday would almost certainly ensure that second-placed Spurs finish above Arsenal for the first time since 1995, but Wenger said a one-off achievement could not outweigh a long run of success.
“Let’s be honest, I’ve answered that question about a shift in power over [many] ...years,” he told British media on Friday. “Nothing changes in that.
“Do Spurs have to do more over a long period of time? I think so. You cannot say that the weight of one year has the weight of 20.”
The Tottenham-Arsenal derby is one of fiercest in English football with less than five miles separating the clubs who first played each other in 1887. Arsenal has posted 80 victories to Tottenham’s 61, with 51 matches drawn.
Wenger suggested another victory for his team on Sunday might even kickstart a winning run towards a thirdplaced finish in the league.
But he acknowledged that Spurs, 14 points and four places above his side, would start as favorites as they seek a ninth successive league win.
Victory would also silence talk among Arsenal supporters of St. Totteringham’s Day, the moment each season when they celebrate the mathematical certainty of finishing above Spurs.
“It is certainly one of the few times where, if you look at people’s opinions, Spurs are favorites,” said Wenger.
“I think we have shown persistence, tenacity and desire to win and keep going at any cost. You could see what it means to the squad when we scored against Leicester [in midweek]. These qualities will of course be very important.”
Meanwhile, Sunderland’s 10-year stay in the Premier League ended on Saturday when it lost 1-0 at home to Bournemouth, leaving it 13 points adrift with four games remaining after Hull City held on for a goalless draw at Southampton.
Sunderland’s fate looked set when Bournemouth’s Josh King side-footed in the winner at the Stadium of Light in the 88th minute after a swift counter-attack.
A Hull defeat would have given Sunderland a stay of execution and when Southampton was awarded a penalty at St. Mary’s in the final minute there was a glimmer of hope for David Moyes’s team.
But Hull keeper Eldin Jakupovic dived low to save Dusan Tadic’s penalty in the final minute and earn the 17th-placed Tigers a vital point in their own battle against the drop.
Sunderland had some chances but top scorer Jermain Defoe was not at his sharpest and, not for the first time this season, the home supporters flooded out of the ground before the final whistle.
“My feeling at the start of the season was it was going to be a hard graft,” Moyes told BBC Radio.
“But ultimately today I feel for the supporters. They pay their hard-earned cash to come to the stadium and we have not given them enough this season,” he said.
Moyes said he was not ready to discuss his future, saying two or three weeks of reflection were needed for the club before a plan was developed for a return to the Premier League.
The club’s American owner Ellis Short issued a statement saying such a plan would be developed once the season was over and admitting the club had made mistakes.
“I acknowledge that during my ownership mistakes have been made, particularly in the area of player recruitment, and as a result we have found ourselves struggling to survive in recent seasons.
“We need to improve, both on and off the field, and despite the bitter disappointment of today there is a strong determination to do so throughout the club. There is significant work to be done over the summer and when the season is concluded, we intend to share our plans to move forward with our supporters,” he added.
Middlesbrough, which plays on Sunday at home to Manchester City, is in 19th place on 27 points while Swansea, which is at Manchester United on Sunday, is on 31 points and Hull is on 34.
At the Hawthorns Jamie Vardy struck the 43rd-minute winner for champions Leicester against West Brom in a 1-0 win.
Vardy finished with confidence after Shinji Okazaki latched on to a poor back pass from Salomon Rondon.
Goals from Ashley Barnes and substitute Andre Gray helped Burnley to get its first away win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace. The result moves Burnley to eight points above the relegation zone and should secure its top-flight status for another season.
Burnley moves up to 14th place, above Palace and West Ham, which drew 0-0 at Stoke City.
On Sunday, leader Chelsea is away to Everton while second-placed Tottenham is at home to North London rivals Arsenal.