Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has stoked the flames of competition in north London by claiming that he does not view Tottenham Hotspur or Aston Villa as close rivals in the Premier League. Arsene Wenger’s side had been tipped by many in the media to be the most likely of the established ‘big four’ to come under threat from the new breed of high-spending challengers, although with eight games of the season passed it is Liverpool who appear to be struggling.
“We haven’t got $500 billion to put into the club, but I suspect that we will be challenging — but I don’t consider Tottenham and Aston Villa rivals,” Hill-Wood made clear yesterday.
“I am very confident and any worries about Champions League income are unlikely to be the case.”
The Gunners face Spurs next weekend with the memory of last season’s epic 4-4 still fresh in the memory.