Tottenham vs Arsenal: Arsene Wenger talks up Wembley factor in north London derby
Arsenal have won their last nine games in the process, which include three FA Cup titles and three Community Shields.
Arsene Wenger has talked about Arsenal's recent performance at Wembley as they take on Tottenham in the north London derby on their pitch. Spurs moved to Wembley for this season due to construction going on at White Hart Lane for a new stadium that is set to be unveiled next season.
The Gunners, for their part, have a brilliant record at Wembley, winning their last nine games in the process, which include three FA Cup titles and three Community Shields. They have another date set for Wembley later this month to take on Manchester City in the final of the Carabao Cup, a competition the Gunners manager has never won.
Last season, Arsenal beat City in the semi-finals and Chelsea in the final to lift their third FA Cup in as many years at Wembley, a run they would like to continue at a stadium where they have had so much success. A win here will take them to only a point off their north London rivals and back in the race for a top-four spot.
Wenger insists that the reason they have done so well at Wembley is because they were all big games and they managed to bring their best performance on the day, something that has not been the case in away games this season. The north London club have won only three games away from the Emirates this season but Wenger hopes that run would change this weekend at Wembley.
"They were always very important games for us, vital games, so that is why the focus was there. Is that especially linked with the players? No, it is just linked with the fact that at Wembley you play special games where you are under pressure to perform and we responded well to it every time," Wenger told Arsenal's official website.
"Decisive, no. It has a little weight in it because we have a good level of performance there, so we will not feel too much 'away' in that situation. Anyway, it will be down to the performance on the day," he added on if Wembley will be a decisive factor.
" I just think that, for us, it will be more about sorting out the tactical problems. To be at the level of performance we want to be, we have to play our fluent football. What Wembley gives you is a good quality of pitch to allow you to play the kind of game we want to play."
