Sunderland: 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."

"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."

"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.

 

Source : PTI