Wenger: Spurs definitely not the same as our class

Their accents are as different as chalk and cheese but when they speak it is worth listening.

Two of the old grand masters of football — and both know the right way to play — Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp are thoroughly engaging company, especially when there is much to play for.

Yesterday, it was Wenger who took the upper ground. After all, his Arsenal team have been lording it over Tottenham for some time. It is 19 games since they lost a league derby and Wenger, though admiring Spurs’ progress, considers them as an annoying local problem rather than full-blown rivals.

In comments Wenger knows will hurt the raiders from up the road — they may also be pinned up in Redknapp’s dressing room before today’s lunchtime kick-off — Wenger slapped down claims from the Spurs camp that they deserve to be taken seriously.

‘If you look at success, historically, they [Tottenham] have a lot of work to do,’ said Wenger. ‘We have been 12 consecutive years in the Champions League, so once they have done that they can say, of course, that they are similar.’

Wenger’s comments come after Spurs captain Robbie Keane claimed this week that the sides were ‘even’, going as far as to suggest Tottenham could call on a stronger bench than Arsenal.

The suggestion brought a wry smile from Wenger, who said: ‘In our job it is about performances not about opinions, and so I believe the most important is what you do on the football pitch.