Gunners chief makes pressure claim

Arsene Wenger has admitted to feeling more public pressure this term, but said he puts more pressure on himself to succeed at Arsenal.

The 62-year-old Gunners' chief takes his side to West Brom on Sunday knowing a win will secure Champions League qualification via a guaranteed third-placed Premier League finish.
And, while Arsenal will finish a seventh successive season without silverware, Wenger feels the pressure coming from the public domain has only increased throughout the course of this campaign in which the Londoners suffered a nightmare start.
However, the Frenchman insists that he always puts pressure on himself to try and bring the glory days back to the Emirates Stadium.
"Every day I discover something about myself - but it is not always enjoyable," Wenger said.
"I always put a lot of pressure on myself, but maybe I was more under public pressure than before. Yet amazingly, I suffer more from my personal pressure.
"I think about my future every summer and this year will be the same - how we can improve? How we can change?
"We face tough competition. Look at what Man City have spent, have you analysed recently their wage bill? You have to be realistic."
Wenger was also quick to heap praise on the way his players, led by Robin van Persie, bounced back from the adversity of their poor start.
He added: "What was interesting this season was the mental quality of the group was one of the best I have seen.
"Secondly, the team has grown in quality during the season and the results in the second half have been much stronger.
"Overall, the exceptional season of Robin van Persie kept us above water in a period where he scored 30 goals in a season. That is something exceptional."