Wenger ‘feels guilty’ over missed title opportunity

Joe Williams

Arsene Wenger says he feels “guilt” and “regret” after Arsenal missed the chance to end their 12-year wait for a Premier League title.

Many Gunners fans saw last season as an opportunity missed as 5000-1  underdogs Leicester City won the title following a fairytale season under Claudio Ranieri.

Arsenal still managed a second-placed finish last campaign – their best since 2004-05 – but Wenger admits he will always feel “regret” after squandering a great chance.

“Certainly, all the big clubs, we experienced that season regret and a feel of guilt,” he told Sky Sports News.

“Guilt because you want to predict who would win the league and you would not have included Leicester so everybody else would say we should have come in front of Leicester.”

The Frenchman has a lot of respect for what the Foxes achieved last campaign and will be hoping his Gunners team can find that level of consistency this term.

“They had an exceptional season and exceptional quality,” he added. “They were absolutely, remarkably consistent.”

The 66-year-old only has a year to run on his existing contract and is unsure whether he will be staying on after the season ends.

“You never know,” he said. “You have to do it as if it is your whole life but know as well that you can stop at any moment. What I will do is work as long as I have the physical potential to work.”