Arsene Wenger says Arsenal are still a match for rivals Tottenham

Arsenal are third in the table, six points behind Tottenham with a game in hand

Arsene Wenger has dismissed suggestions Arsenal have already fallen behind Tottenham in North London's balance of power and believes his young team will improve next season.

The Gunners remain six points behind second-placed Spurs, albeit with a game in hand, and are widely considered to be out of the race for this season's Premier League title.

 

Arsene Wenger doesn't think Jack Wilshere is ready to play for Arsenal against Crystal Palace on Super Sunday

The possibility of Spurs finishing higher than them in the league for the first time since Wenger's appointment in 1996 is distinct.

And given Spurs' youth and the likelihood they will be strengthened further by qualifying for the Champions League, indications are that Wenger's Arsenal may have finally fallen behind their bitter rivals.
Wenger insisted he remains hopeful of catching them during their final six league fixtures of the season, however, and also implied that their respective records during the past 18 years mean one superior league campaign changes little.
"First of all, we are not behind yet," he said ahead of his side's Super Sunday game with Crystal Palace, live on Sky Sports.
"Tottenham have been 18 years behind us, they survived you know, so let's be realistic.
"If Leicester win on Sunday, it doesn't change the fact that we have absolutely to win our game. Let's prepare for that, no matter what the result of Leicester is.

Alex Iwobi has impressed since breaking into the Gunners' first team

"Leicester can still drop points on Sunday [at home to West Ham in the opening match of Super Sunday]."
During a disappointing second half of the season, Arsenal have been eliminated from the FA Cup and Champions League and fallen 13 points behind Leicester.
Alex Iwobi and January signing Mohamed Elneny have impressed in that time, though, and Wenger has revealed he expects his side to continue to develop.
The manager believes strengthening his present squad will prove difficult and - despite being criticised for signing only Petr Cech last summer, and amid reports he intends to overhaul his team - he plans to retain Arsenal's present core of players.

Arsenal vs C Palace

April 17, 2016, 3:30pm

"You cannot dismiss the players. We spoke about Iwobi, he's 19 years of age, Elneny 23, [Francis] Coquelin 24 - they will be stronger," the Frenchman added.
"You need to keep a core of players and strengthen where we can, but the team is going the right way. It's at the moment difficult for us to accept we're not completely there, but you have to accept that.
"If you look at the top three, you'll see that the teams have not changed a lot.
"We have to strengthen, but it is not obvious, despite the money the English clubs will have, to find the players who will strengthen your squad.
"We will of course work very hard to do that and we are already working, but we have to find the players. It's not easy.

 

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"I will judge (Elneny) at the end of the season, but for sure he's had a big impact, much bigger than expected because usually a guy comes in, it takes him a few months to adapt, and him and Iwobi had a big impact on the quality of our game."