Wenger hails league quality

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the Premier League is tougher than it has ever been.

All the leadings teams have struggled for consistency this season, with the Gunners and Chelsea both losing four times already.

Manchester United have also drawn seven of their 15 games and the title race remains wide open going into the busy festive period.

Wenger, who takes his men to Old Trafford on Monday night for a mouth-watering top-of-the-table tussle, does not feel standards have dropped.

The Frenchman thinks there have been so many shock results because of the improvement of sides throughout the division.

He explained: “I don’t agree with the people who say that the overall quality of the league is lower this season. In fact, you can say exactly the reverse.

“Last Monday night, two quality teams – Aston Villa and Liverpool – met and both sides were in the bottom half, so that opinion is not really proven by concrete facts.

“The whole Premier League is more difficult for everybody and what you call mid-table teams and bottom-table teams have improved – every single game today is a cup game for everybody.”
Dangerous

Wenger nevertheless admits it is a surprise that Arsenal are in such a strong position considering the points they have dropped, losing three games at home.

“We are top of the table at the moment, and at the start of the season if you had said we would lose four of our first 16 games, I would not have thought we would be top, that is for sure,” the Gunners boss reflected.

“It means the other teams have lost games as well, apart from Manchester United, but they have had many draws.

“We have not had many draws, and have won five games away. The positive thing is that if we manage to add home consistency to our away form, we will be very dangerous.”

Arsenal were beaten by Chelsea earlier this season and lost all four of their league games against the Blues and Manchester United last term.

Hungry

But Wenger is adamant that his players can compete against the best in the business and emerge triumphant at Old Trafford.

“We felt unlucky at Chelsea where we lost 2-0 and at Manchester City we had a convincing win,” he said.

“It is in front of us now, we have an opportunity to show how good we are – that is what you want in life.

“Let’s go without any preconceived ideas, not [thinking] about any weakness of Manchester United, nor about any weakness from us, just let’s focus on the day, to give your best, play with belief, play for each other and we have a good chance to beat anybody.”

Wenger maintained: “I know that my team will be really up for it, and I always have great belief in my players – I know how hungry they are for success and am sure that will come out in the game.”