The Gunners are right on North London rival Tottenham Hotspurs’ back after their grinding 2-1 victory over West Brom on Saturday while Spurs drew with Everton 2-2 reducing the deficit to two points between the duo.
Arsenal have a game in hand meaning they can be guaranteed Champions League qualification if Wenger’s in form side can win every match for the remainder of the season.
Spurs for the third match in a row have failed to win at home, losing to Fulham in the club’s previous Premier League fixture and drawing with FC Basel in the Europa League. Tottenham’s attacker Clint Dempsey admits the atmosphere is tense with the possibility of blowing yet another lead over their rivals fast becoming a reality and the tightness at the top will make for an exciting season run-in.
The former Fulham player told Sky Sports:
That’s the way it’s kind of been the last few games at home. It’s been tense. I’ve felt like that’s how the atmosphere has been.
I don’t know if it has been affecting performances. It’s been noticeable, in the last three home games. There are a few teams right there in the fight for the Champions League and it makes it more interesting for people to watch.
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It’s a little bit more stressful but it’s a good stress. At least we’re pushing to try to get that spot.
It’s going to come to the end and, hopefully, we have enough character to get the job done. You’ve got to keep going and do everything you can to help the team.
The race for a top-four finish will be a fight all the way until the end. We would have liked all three points against Everton but it was an important point.
Damn straight it’s tense at White Hart Lane, the Gunners are back in town and ready to knock you back into Europa where you barely belong!
The Spurs have a tricky set of fixtures on the horizon and their second leg for Europa this week, so for the second consecutive year Wilshere will have the last laugh over Defoe and be 3k richer (touch wood)!
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