Arsenal vs Tottenham - Wenger expects Tottenham to become bigger financial threat
Posted Saturday, November 07, 2015 by PA
Arsene Wenger believes Tottenham's new stadium will eventually see them compete financially with Arsenal and provide the "biggest challenge" to the club.
The Gunners already have their own state-of-the-art facilities with the Emirates Stadium, and north London rivals Spurs are also set for a new 61,000-seater home in the coming years.
Tottenham will move just a stone's throw from their current White Hart Lane ground and are planning to relocate for the start of the 2018/19 season.
Arsenal spent several years being hampered by tight purse-strings as they repaid their stadium costs but have been able to take advantage of increased revenue in the past couple of seasons - bringing in the likes of club-record signing Mesut Ozil, Chile forward Alexis Sanchez and goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Spurs may also require some time to start benefiting from a new home, which is proposed to be the biggest in London and will host NFL games over a 10-year period.
But, ahead of Sunday's meeting between the two at the Emirates, Arsenal boss Wenger believes the move will see Tottenham match his side.
"It is the biggest challenge we face. It will be purely down to the technical quality of work," Wenger said when asked about Spurs becoming more of a financial threat.
"On a financial level, we always had level power because when we had 37,000, 38,000 seats (at Highbury) we were level.
"After we moved into the new stadium we had less financial resources than them because we had to pay our debts back. That was always the case.
"Now, maybe in the last two or three years we are in a stronger financial situation but that will not last because they build a new stadium as well."
On the pitch, Arsenal are keeping up the pace at the top of the table while Tottenham remain unbeaten in the league since the opening weekend of the campaign.
Wenger's men go into the game on the back of a 5-1 Champions League hammering from Bayern Munich but certainly have the players to keep their Barclays Premier League title tilt alive with victory over their rivals.
Sanchez has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign while World Cup winner Ozil feels he is now able to show his best having made an uncertain start to life at Arsenal.
"Last season, I was out with my knee injury for a few months," the Germany midfielder told arsenal.com
"This year I feel fit. I have no injuries and can perform well in games. At the moment, things are going really well.
"But you need to praise the whole team. We fight for each other and are like a small family. You can sense that on the pitch. It shows that we are hungry for success and that's why I want to praise the whole team."
Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier is hoping to complete the perfect week by adding victory in the north London derby to his first England call-up.
The crunch visit to Arsenal is Spurs' third game in six days, after Mauricio Pochettino's side recorded victories over Aston Villa on Monday and then Anderlecht on Thursday in the Europa League.
The Villa win stretched Tottenham's unbeaten run in the league to 10 matches while Arsenal's domestic form has also been strong, with the Gunners winning five on the spin and scoring 16 goals in the process.
"It's got everything - we're in great form, they're in great form," Dier told Tottenham's official website.
"Apart from their result against Bayern Munich they've been doing very well so they're a great team but we've been doing extremely well too.
"We like to play a very intense style of football and they like to attack. It'll be a good game to watch and hopefully we can be the ones enjoying it at the end."
Dier was named in Roy Hodgson's squad on Thursday for upcoming friendlies against France and Spain as reward for an excellent start to the campaign in which the 21-year-old has shone in his new position of centre midfield.
Used primarily at right-back and centre-half last season, Dier has quickly adjusted to his new role next to Dele Alli, who was also picked for England along with Spurs team-mates Kyle Walker and Harry Kane.
"I'm really thankful to the manager for trusting me and believing in me in that position," Dier said.
"Getting the England call-up was a very proud moment for me and my family. It's something you always dream of as a kid.
"Hopefully I can go there, enjoy myself and do well. It's always nice when you go with other boys from your club.
"That makes it easier and I know some of the lads there from younger age groups so I'm looking forward to it.
"I couldn't have imagined it to be honest. If you had told me this would happen when I was sitting on holiday I wouldn't have believed you."
Dier has been a key part in Tottenham tightening up their defence this season, with Pochettino's men conceding seven fewer goals than at the same stage last year.
"The defence has played a lot of games (together) from the beginning of the season," Pochettino said.
"The collective effort is important to help them - the keeper, the fullbacks, the midfielders.
"I think this season the balance is nearly perfect, but always we need to improve."
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