Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that Saturday's North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur has taken on greater importance given the league positions of the two clubs.
With 12 games remaining in the Premier League, fifth-placed Spurs currently hold a four-point advantage over Arsenal ahead of this weekend's showdown at Wembley Stadium.
Wenger has acknowledged that he is always 'passionate' about playing his club's fierce rivals, but that his priority is to get back into contention for a place in the top four in the standings.
At his pre-match press conference, the Frenchman told reporters: "There is always huge passion before the game and the emotion at stake that becomes a bit more agitated.
"I worked with Pat Rice when I first arrived so he got me very quickly on that territory. It is always a game that is charged emotionally.
"This season, if you look at the table, is a very important game. For us, it is an opportunity to come back closer to the Champions League places, which is a priority."
Wenger has said that Arsenal will need to nullify the threat of Harry Kane in order to boost their chances of victory on Saturday afternoon.
Darren Plant
