Tottenham vs. Arsenal: Arsene Wenger's Key North London Derby Presser Quotes
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has underlined the importance of his side's visit to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, as the north London rivals vie for position at the summit of the Premier League, and said "the title race is at stake" at White Hart Lane.
The Frenchman said it is the first time during his long tenure that Arsenal and Spurs have played in a derby when both teams are battling for ultimate Premier League glory.
The club's official Twitter feed shared footage of Wenger's comments:
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
The Gunners boss also bemoaned his side's defeat to Swansea City in their last outing in the league, as Arsenal slipped to a damaging 2-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium.
Joe Mewis of the Mirror quoted Wenger as saying: ”We watched the game again. Second goal [was] offside, first was [a[ blatant foul on [Mesut] Ozil.”
Wenger also responded sharply to Thierry Henry's assertion that Arsenal fans are at their most angry after the frustrating defeat to the Swans.
”Thierry finds the measure of 60,000 fans difficult because he fits upstairs," said the manager in his short but stinging assessment, per Mewis.
Wenger confirmed defensive blows for the Gunners, and said goalkeeper Petr Cech and centre-back Laurent Koscielny will be missing from his team at White Hart Lane, per the club's official Twitter feed:
Further elaborating on the goalkeeper's status, the Frenchman added, per Mewis: “Cech had a little groin problem but declared himself 100 percent fit. You trust the player. He is 33 years of age.”
Wenger also confirmed Jack Wilshere's recovery from long-term injury is moving along swiftly, and he expects the England international to return within a month.
However, James Olley of the London Evening Standard highlighted the manager had said this previously:
The pressure is off Spurs as they look to irreparably damage Arsenal's title hopes; despite Tottenham's elevated position, they will still be considered the traditional underdogs and not be expected to win the championship.
The 2015-16 season has offered Wenger his best chance of capturing the Premier League title once again, but Gunners fans will not be able to stomach the humiliation if their nearest rivals are the team to stop them marching forward.
The derby is one of the biggest in living memory for north London, and it is a match Arsenal cannot afford to lose.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
