• Premier League

Wenger claims his fire still burns

ESPN staff
March 14, 2013
Arsene Wenger still has the desire to manage Arsenal © Getty Images
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he will fulfil his contract at the Emirates, which expires in 2014, and stressed that he had not lost his appetite for management.

Wenger watched the Gunners go out of the Champions League to Bayern Munich on away goals after winning 2-0 in Germany to leave the tie level at 3-3 on aggregate.

The exit means Arsenal's run without a trophy now stands at eight years - something that has seen the Frenchman come under increasing pressure from sections of the north London club's crowd.

But Wenger has not seen his side finish outside the top four since 1996 and told beIn Sport: "I still have desire. I am under contract until 2014, and I am used to fulfilling my contracts."

Arsenal face Swansea at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday needing to win to close the five-point gap to third-placed Chelsea and the seven-point margin between themselves and Spurs, who have played a game more.

Tottenham face Fulham at White Hart Lane on Sunday when a win for them, coupled with a defeat for Arsenal, would leave the Gunners ten points adrift of their north London rivals.

Spurs held a ten-point advantage over the Gunners in February last year but were overhauled as Wenger's men finished in third to seal Champions League qualification, which was denied to Tottenham when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to win the trophy.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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