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Arsene Wenger expects stadium move to disrupt Tottenham

Arsene Wenger attends a press conference at London Colney

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has reiterated that rivals Tottenham face a "very difficult" transition when they move into their new stadium.

Wenger takes his side to White Hart Lane for the last time on Sunday, with Spurs set to move to Wembley for a season before taking residence in their new home.

The Gunners underwent the same process when they relocated from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in 2006, with a period of financial restraint and readjustment following.

Since the move, Arsenal have not been able to recapture the Premier League title they last lifted in 2004 and Wenger also had to sell a plethora of talent to help balance the books.

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Now, ahead of his 50th north London derby, he has again warned his fierce rivals it can take a long time to feel at home in a new ground.

Asked how difficult the new stadium could prove for Spurs, Wenger replied: "Very difficult, much more you can imagine.

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"First of all, you face financial restrictions, which we did. Overall, it might be less in future because you have more income.

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"Secondly because you don't feel at home like you were before. And you need to recreate a kind of history to feel comfortable and to feel like you play at home. I would say it can take two years [to feel at home]."

Victory for Tottenham on Sunday would mean they are guaranteed to finish above their neighbours for the first time since 1995.

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Arsene Wenger prepared for his 50th north London derby by dismissing the rise of Tottenham and defending his record

Arsenal fans have become so accustomed to being the top dogs in north London they have christened the day when Spurs cannot mathematically finish above them in the table as 'St Totteringham's Day'.

Wenger has never finished below Tottenham and admits White Hart Lane has been the scene of some of the highs during his two-decade spell in charge of Arsenal.

"When you finish 20 years above them, it's not important and now suddenly it becomes important," he said.

"Yes, it matters, of course. We want to be stronger than Spurs, we want to be stronger than everybody."

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