Pressure-free Emirates not built for Jose

Jose Mourinho has claimed he would love the stability Arsene Wenger enjoys at Arsenal, but says the lack of pressure to win trophies could ultimately cost the Premier League side a top-four finish.

“I would love to have [Wenger’s] stability at a club,” he said.

“But at the same time I think for my mentality I also need the pressure to succeed — and if no one imposes that pressure on me then I would impose that pressure on myself.

“The pressure to win things. Yes it’s possible to be one or two seasons building for the future and not being at the level to win things, but no longer, because my mentality is I always need the pressure of winning things.

“Maybe it could happen soon for Arsenal. They play good football and produce good players.”

Mourinho also predicted a Premier League top four for 2012-13 without Arsenal.

“So far this season Arsenal have been up and down — they’re good and not so good,” he said.

“They are not in the top four but they have always finished in the top four so you can say, ‘Why not again this season?’. But it will be tough. They will be fighting with Tottenham, Chelsea and Everton so it will be very difficult. [Chelsea’s] defeat to QPR has killed their chances of being champions but they have a game in hand and will fight for the top four again. So for me the top four will be United, City, Spurs and Chelsea.”