Table-toppers Arsenal heaped the pressure on North London rivals Tottenham and their manager Martin Jol yesterday with a 3-1 win at White Hart Lane. And it is likely to get worse for Spurs fans and their board this week when the Gunners also outstrip them off the field.
Two goals by Emmanuel Adebayor, with a brilliant long-range shot by Cesc Fabregas in between, gave Arsenal the three points after Gareth Bale had put Spurs ahead. That made it 19 games over eight years since Tottenham last won this derby in League or cup.
For the Gunners, it was an excellent start to a week that will see them announce financial figures that place them above Manchester United and Chelsea — let alone Spurs — and behind only Real Madrid in the list of the world's richest clubs.
Arsenal's total turnover of all the business the club generate, it will be revealed, has shot up to about £180m,about £22m behind Real Madrid, while United's turnover stands at £167m. That is an increase of almost 50 per cent in just one season, such has been the effect of moving to the Emirates Stadium.
No wonder their currently buoyant board of directors, who believe that they can even surpass Real financially next season, can rebuff potential investors.
That will leave a sour taste in the mouth of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and his own board,who aspire to the top four and Champions League riches, and have charged Dutchman Jol with delivering it this season.
The Spurs hierarchy are unlikely to react too hastily, however, as their prime target, Sevilla coach Juande Ramos, is not yet available. Indeed, he brings his side to the Emirates on Wednesday when they face Arsenal in the Champions League.
"I can only believe what Daniel Levy is telling me," said Jol last night. "We have to stay positive. You saw the players' commitment. All we have to do is get results, which we did in the past. Last year we had the same number of points at this stage and finished on 60."
But with Spurs languishing fourth from bottom after four defeats in their six games, they cannot allow the situation to deteriorate further.
It is known that Italy's World Cup-winning coach, Marcello Lippi, would like to manage in the Premier League and the former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier would welcome a return, despite being close to rejoining the French Federation as technical director.
There was sympathy for Jol from his Arsenal counterpart, Arsene Wenger, who celebrated his new three-year contract with a fourth consecutive win.
"I always have sympathy for a manager going through a bad spell," said Wenger. "It happens to everyone. It happened to me. He just needs support."
Wenger certainly has it from his own board, who will continue with their own strategy rather than contemplate selling up to foreign investors.
