Wenger grateful for early presents

ARSENE WENGER had to be reminded on Saturday that Christmas was looming. “What day is it this year?” he asked. “The 25th?”

Even for as renowned an obsessive as Wenger, this was a remarkable admission although perhaps the Frenchman simply feels that he has no need of a prescribed period of goodwill. Why should he when his young side are peering down at their rivals from the Premier League summit and preparing for a mouth-watering meeting with the European champions in February? Happy Christmas indeed.

Wenger merely shrugged when he was reminded that the team topping the table over the Yuletide period had won the championship in the last four years and, for all that this victory over much-loathed local rivals was greeted with raucous celebration, the Arsenal manager is right to be wary.