Should Tottenham Hotspur beat Arsenal on Sunday they will, at last, finish above their rivals in the Premier League but for Arsène Wenger this will not represent a power shift between the clubs. “You cannot say the weight of one year has the weight of 20,” Wenger said when the proposition was put to him before what will be the 50th time he takes part in this fixture.
Tottenham last ended a domestic season in a higher position than Arsenal in 1995, the year before Wenger arrived in England, yet now it is almost inevitable and will be confirmed should the hosts triumph in what is set to be the last north London derby played at White Hart Lane. Defeat for Arsenal would leave them 17 points behind Spurs with a maximum of 15 more to play for.
Wenger accepts Mauricio Pochettino’s side are the favourites going into the match, particularly given they have collected 15 consecutive wins in all competitions at their stadium but he does not accept a further triumph would carry a long-term significance, symbolic or otherwise.
“Let’s be honest, I answer the question of [power] shift for 18 consecutive years. Nothing changes in that,” said the Arsenal manager. “And you cannot say the weight of one year has the weight of 20.
“When we finish 20 years above them, it’s not important and now suddenly it becomes important. Yes, it matters – we want to be stronger than Spurs but we want to be stronger than everybody. The priority for us is to finish in the top four.”
Asked if Tottenham, regardless of Sunday’s result, are now a bigger club than Arsenal, Wenger went into full sarcastic mode. “No I think Arsenal are a much smaller club and we are absolutely terrible,” he said, with his mood darkened further after being informed the club record goalscorer Thierry Henry had included only one Arsenal player – Alexis Sánchez – in a combined north-London XI he put together for a Sky Sports programme.
“Football is about opinions, this one I don’t share at all,” Wenger said. “You focus on what you think is right and let everyone talk, that’s what I do.”
Arsenal go into the derby in encouraging form having won their past three matches, a run that has seen them reach a third FA Cup final in four seasons and – for Wenger at least – maintain hope of once again finishing in the top four. They are sixth, four points behind Manchester United in fifth and five points behind Manchester City in fourth with a game in hand on both sides.
Laurent Koscielny has a “60% chance”of facing Spurs, having suffered a knee injury in Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Leicester City, but even if he does not make it Wenger insists there remains the possibility he will yet again start with a three-man defence.
With Shkodran Mustafi definitely still out with a thigh strain, Rob Holding could come into Arsenal’s backline, with the 21-year-old having impressed in his two most recent displays – against Middlesbrough and then Manchester City in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley.
“He has a great future because he is very intelligent and has objective analysis of own performance,” Wenger said of the former Bolton Wanderers player. “He’s very bright about what’s happening, he analyses well and understands. He reads the game well.”
Regardless of who plays for Arsenal, Wenger insists his team will perform on the front foot on Sunday. “We play for our future and to continue our run,” he said. “We know what is needed, on that front it is quite simple. We will not sit back, we try to go forward and win the game. We’re ready for the fight.”