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'Get ready for the fight'
12/05/2008 11:04 - (SA)
England - Arsene Wenger warned Manchester United to expect a renewed challenge for the title next season after Arsenal ended their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win at Sunderland.
Wenger saluted United's successful defence of the English league but the Gunners manager is convinced his side were the equal of Sir Alex Ferguson's team in almost every area and sees no reason why they can't wrestle the title from Old Trafford.
Arsenal finished four points behind United in third place but they were in pole position until a late-season meltdown allowed their rivals to pull away.
"The message I have is congratulations for the achievement, and get ready for the fight next year," Wenger said.
"You have to be reasonable. When you get 83 points and you call that failure, what would the other teams say? It is respectable, 83 points, I have won championships with less.
"But it highlights as well the level of the competition, the required amount of points needed this year because there was very little difference between the three teams who fought for the championship.
"Any little weakness and you were punished because Manchester United finished with 87, Chelsea 85 and we finished with 83. Where Manchester United made the difference was at home. They took similar points to us away from home and fewer than Chelsea, but at home, they had 17 victories.
Brighter future
"At Old Trafford, they have an advantage and they use that advantage."
While Arsenal have to lick their wounds after a third successive season without silverware, Wenger believes the quality his young side showed this year can only point to a brighter future despite Mathieu Flamini's move to AC Milan and the potential departure of Alexander Hleb to Inter Milan.
But the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie and Gael Clichy are all still improving and Wenger insisted they were worthy rivals for United.
"I feel quality-wise we have been remarkable the whole season. I have never had a team that has consistently produced quality games like this team," he said.
"We lost a 100m (race) by a fraction of a second. We were on the same line and somebody has put their chest in front of us just at the end.
"It doesn't mean we have not made a good 100m. To have a great 100m, you need three or four who compete for the final place.
"This year, the Premier League, for maybe the first time in the last four or five years, was exciting until the last day of the season, and we have contributed to that."
Theo Walcott is another emerging talent that Wenger expects to rely on more next season. The England winger scored the only goal at the Stadium of Light in the 24th minute when he turned in Gilberto Silva's pass.
Sunderland pushed them all the way but lacked the cutting edge to equalise.
Roy Keane's side were already assured of another season in the top-flight, and the Sunderland boss was satisfied with his side's campaign.
"It has panned out the way I thought it would, I have to say. We have finished 15th in the table and I have to say we are probably the 15th best team," Keane said.
- AFP
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