Wenger – 80 points will be enough

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes that 80 points will be enough to decide the Premier League title race.

The Gunners are currently second place on 33 points after 16 games, while league leaders Leicester City have taken 35 – losing just once.

Third-place Manchester City sit slightly behind Arsenal on 32 points, making the potential of at least three teams being involved in the race to Premier League glory exciting, while the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur trail, with just nine points separating first and sixth.

The experienced French boss reckons 80 points will be enough to decide the title, with consistency being the key to who will be crowned champions at the end of the campaign.

It looks to be very tight.

We have played 16 games and the top team is on 35 points, so it means that the Premier League could be decided at around 80 points.

If you look at the results it looks as though the consistency will be the main priority in this league because every week you are surprised by the results. We have really established a good run so for us it’s important to continue that.

It is a massive game [on Monday]. When we play at home you want to win because we are ambitious and we feel we have the chance to come out in a strong position after Christmas.

It will be a very tight game because if you look at the numbers since the start of the season, offensively and defensively the numbers are very close. Manchester City has huge individual potential with David Silva and Sergio Aguero coming back and so we will need a top, top-level team performance.

Ahead of Arsenal’s crunch fixture against Manchester City on Monday, Wenger admitted the 2-0 win over Manuel Pellegrini’s side last season at the Etihad was a ‘step in the right direction’.

It was a needed step for our team. It was not enough, but it was the first step which was certainly vital to strengthen the belief of our team.

When you have never done it, people can tell you ‘you aren’t good enough, you aren’t good enough’ but when you have done it, you know you can do it and that strengthens you. Of course it is important.

It was not enough, but it was the first step which was certainly vital to strengthen the belief of our team. “When you have never done it, people can tell you ‘you aren’t good enough, you aren’t good enough’ but when you have done it, you know you can do it and that strengthens you. Of course it is important.