Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that missing out on a top four place hurt him more than finishing below Tottenham Hotspur last season.

For the first time under Wenger’s stewardship Arsenal finished below Tottenham in the league table as Spurs announced themselves as the new force in English football.




Arsenal’s involvement in the Europa League coupled with Tottenham’s wins over Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in the Champions League has inflicted further pain on the Gunners faithful.

However, Wenger says that not qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in years caused him more hurt than finishing below Arsenal’s hated north London rivals.
 


And he was quick to remind critics about Arsenal’s FA Cup success while Tottenham finished trophy-less last season.  

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Asked if it hurt to finish below Spurs last season, Wenger said in a press conference: “Yes. It’s not to finish below Tottenham, it was to finish out of the top four.

“It was the first time in the history of the Premier League with 75 points, so I still feel it was harsh on us.

“People forget we won the FA Cup in a very stylish way.”

Arsenal and Tottenham will square off in a big north London derby on Saturday at the Emirates.