Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry
Redknapp has cranked up the pressure on
Arsène Wenger ahead of the north London
derby by claiming that Arsenal's title
challenge will be over if they lose at White
Hart Lane.
Wenger's side will remain seven points
behind league leaders Manchester United if
Spurs inflict their first league double over
their local rivals in 18 years.
Redknapp claims that Arsenal must win
every one of their remaining six matches to
stand any chance of catching United, who
have pulled clear of their rivals thanks to
the poor recent form of Wenger's team.
"Arsenal have to win all of their games now
to win the title," Redknapp said.
"They will be hoping to win all their games
and hope Man United slip up. That's all they
can do.
"They had a couple of games at home they
would have thought they should have won
and they threw a great opportunity away
after they only took a point at the weekend
[against Liverpool].
"If they had taken those points, you look at
where they would be with Man United to
play at home - they would have been in
pole position. It's amazing how it's turned
out."
Whilst admitting that Arsenal are on the
ropes in their quest for their 14th league
title, he did take time to hit out at the critics
of his opposite number.
The influential Arsenal Supporters' Trust
released a statement last week expressing
their "considerable disappointment" with
the club's continued struggle to land major
honours, but Redknapp insists all the
pressure on Wenger is unjust, despite his
failure to land a trophy in six years.
"I don't understand how they can criticise
him. They have had fantastic success and
play great football," Redknapp said.
"He managed a team that went a whole
season unbeaten. What an achievement that
was. That was amazing to do that.
"He has won enough trophies at Arsenal
already. He doesn't need another to have
vindication, surely. His record stands up
anyway."
Redknapp said last year that Wenger had
turned into a "big nutter" since his arrival in
England in 1996 thanks to the pressure and
that managers are subject to unfair abuse
and scrutiny from fans calling in to radio
phone-ins after every match, with Wenger
one of the many victims.
"I don't understand the criticism [of
Wenger] at all but that's what you expect in
football, you get that in this game now,"
said Redknapp, who will be taking charge of
his 100th league game at the club.
"If he was angry about it then I don't blame
him. I would have been too. If you lose a
few games some people call these silly
phone-ins and say 'they were rubbish
today. They were absolutely useless' when
they weren't even at the game, they were
listening to it on the radio or shopping with
the wife.
"I don't listen to them. I'll turn the radio on
and put Magic FM on instead. I want to listen
to some music. I don't want to listen to a
bunch of idiots. They must have sad lives."
