Although he’s in the form of his tree-swinging, banana eating life, Arsene Wenger says his team won’t pay too much attention to Gareth Bale and will, instead, focus on their own game.

It’s no surprise, the boss has always sent his team out to first and foremost to do their own stuff, rather than trying to stop specific opponents. You may debate the rights and wrongs of it but nobody should be under any illusions that this is how he operates.

“We don’t plan for anybody,” he said at today’s press conference. “It is always the same – focus on our strengths and forget about your opponent.

“There is nobody special that you least like to face. All players have different qualities. What is important when you are a manager is that you are focused, that hasn’t changed over the last 15 years. You always make sure your team is at its best, prepares well and focuses on playing the football that we love.

“What is important before a game like that is just to focus on our game and forget all the rest.”

When asked about the quality of the Welshman, Wenger delivered a classic, withing response about a team that has never finished ahead of him in the league.

“Spurs have had all these great players,” he said. “They had Ginola before. They had … Anderton.”

At which point a tumbleweed blew across his desk at the training ground.

Anderton, indeed.