Arsenal top 4 hopes fading

– Arsene Wenger conceded Arsenal’s hopes of ending their Champions League exile are in severe danger after Harry Kane (above) condemned them to a damaging 1-0 defeat against bitter rivals Tottenham.

Kane’s second-half header at Wembley on Saturday left Wenger’s sixth-placed side languishing six points adrift of the Premier League’s top four.

Failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish would be another hammer blow for beleaguered Arsenal boss Wenger, whose team had to settle for a berth in the far less attractive Europa League this term.

Wenger acknowledged that depressing fate is staring Arsenal in the face again following Kane’s latest act of vengeance against the club that rejected him as a youngster.

“It’s a game we couldn’t afford to lose, it makes it much more difficult,” Wenger said.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Wenger, whose side were outplayed by Tottenham for long periods as new signings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan failed to shine in their first taste of the north London derby.

Arsenal’s wretched away record against teams in the top five – they haven’t won their last 16 – left Wenger cursing a lack of cutting edge and a defence that wilted when Kane rose to head home from Christian Eriksen’s cross.

“We were hit by a super striker, he is one of the best in the world, he scores against everyone.”

The England star’s 32nd club goal of the season means he has now scored seven times in seven league games against Arsenal.

Not for the first time, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino made it clear Kane deserves to be ranked among the world’s best strikers.

“Of course Harry is one of the best in the world. I have repeated that for the last few years,” he said. –

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