It is nine years since Wenger last lifted a trophy, but Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend took them to within four points of Chelsea, who had slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa a day earlier.
Arsenal also have a game in hand on Jose Mourinho’s side, meaning that victory at Stamford Bridge would give them the upper hand on their cross-town foes as the title race enters the finishing straight.
With Arsenal also through to the FA Cup semifinals, where they will play holders Wigan Athletic, Wenger admits he has allowed himself little time for nostalgic thoughts. ‘It makes you feel, ‘Where did the time go?’ he told the Arsenal website. ‘It looks to me like I started yesterday. I can’t believe it is such a long time.
‘Why? Because you’re always focused on looking forward to the next game and when you look back you think, ‘I made quite a distance there.’
Chelsea manager Mourinho faces a Football Association misconduct charge after being sent to the stands during the loss at Villa, but he enjoyed a more memorable outing on Tuesday when his side beat Galatasaray 2-0 to reach the Champions League quarterfinals.
Winger Eden Hazard is relishing the return to league action, telling the club website: ‘The game against Arsenal comes at an important moment because it follows a league defeat.
‘We will have a good rest and our great staff will help us recover. We are going to do our best in front of our own supporters in what is a big derby game. There is no better one to win.’
Chelsea’s setback at Villa Park also opened the door for second-place Liverpool and fourth-place Manchester City.
Like Arsenal, Liverpool are four points behind Chelsea with a game in hand, while City are potentially in an even stronger position, two points further back but with three matches in hand.
LONDON: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho took another sly dig at Arsene Wenger on Friday while expressing admiration for a rival he dubbed a ‘specialist in failure’ only a month ago.
‘I admire him and I admire Arsenal,’ he said. ‘It is not possible to have 1,000 matches unless the club is also a fantastic club in the way they support their manager, especially in the bad moments and especially when the bad moments were quite a lot,’ he said.
‘The tribute is to say that I believe any one of us (managers) would love to have the same privilege with our clubs. Could I stay for 1,000 games? I would like to.’
Arsenal also have a game in hand on Jose Mourinho’s side, meaning that victory at Stamford Bridge would give them the upper hand on their cross-town foes as the title race enters the finishing straight.
With Arsenal also through to the FA Cup semifinals, where they will play holders Wigan Athletic, Wenger admits he has allowed himself little time for nostalgic thoughts. ‘It makes you feel, ‘Where did the time go?’ he told the Arsenal website. ‘It looks to me like I started yesterday. I can’t believe it is such a long time.
‘Why? Because you’re always focused on looking forward to the next game and when you look back you think, ‘I made quite a distance there.’
Chelsea manager Mourinho faces a Football Association misconduct charge after being sent to the stands during the loss at Villa, but he enjoyed a more memorable outing on Tuesday when his side beat Galatasaray 2-0 to reach the Champions League quarterfinals.
Winger Eden Hazard is relishing the return to league action, telling the club website: ‘The game against Arsenal comes at an important moment because it follows a league defeat.
‘We will have a good rest and our great staff will help us recover. We are going to do our best in front of our own supporters in what is a big derby game. There is no better one to win.’
Chelsea’s setback at Villa Park also opened the door for second-place Liverpool and fourth-place Manchester City.
Like Arsenal, Liverpool are four points behind Chelsea with a game in hand, while City are potentially in an even stronger position, two points further back but with three matches in hand.
LONDON: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho took another sly dig at Arsene Wenger on Friday while expressing admiration for a rival he dubbed a ‘specialist in failure’ only a month ago.
‘I admire him and I admire Arsenal,’ he said. ‘It is not possible to have 1,000 matches unless the club is also a fantastic club in the way they support their manager, especially in the bad moments and especially when the bad moments were quite a lot,’ he said.
‘The tribute is to say that I believe any one of us (managers) would love to have the same privilege with our clubs. Could I stay for 1,000 games? I would like to.’