Arsene Wenger blames fans for costing Arsenal the Premier League title due to 'difficult climate' at the Emirates

Arsene Wenger has hit out at fans for making the Emirates Stadium a “difficult climate” this season and blaming the hostile environment for Arsenal’s failure to win the Premier League title this season.

The manager risked the wrath of the Emirates faithful by blaming them and former Arsenal players-turned-pundits for questioning the team’s attitude, and he went as far as to claim that had the league table been judged on away form alone, Arsenal would be champions this season – a stat that is negated given Arsenal have the third-best away record in the league this season behind Leicester and Tottenham.

Arsenal’s season has fallen apart in 2016 despite being well placed to challenge for the Premier League at the turn of the year, and elimination in both the Champions League and FA Cup soon followed to leave the club fighting for a top-four finish rather than the title which most expected to come to the Emirates this season.

Given Chelsea and Manchester United’s struggles and Manchester City’s mid-season slump, Arsenal had the perfect opportunity to pull clear and end their 12-year wait for a title success, only for Leicester and Spurs to gap them at the top of the table and leave the Gunners looking over their shoulder.

Wenger has hit back at his critics though and says that the fans chanting for his dismissal and displaying banners calling for him to leave have contributed to their downfall this season.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday evening’s visit of Norwich, Wenger said: “We lost the championship at home against the lower teams, but we played at home in a very difficult climate.

“We have to realise that, away from home, we are championship winners. At home, against the smaller teams, we lost the league.

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“This club does have special values though and one I’ve experienced over the years is to stick together and support the team. There’s no success without that.”

Arsenal’s form in 2016 has fallen well short of what is expected from potential title contenders, with the side winning just six of their 16 Premier League matches this calendar year, and Wenger’s team have taken 25 points from a possible 48 – leaving them 12 points off leaders Leicester and just five points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United, who have played a game less.

Former Arsenal players that have moved in TV punditry, such as Ian Wright, Paul Merson and Thierry Henry have criticised the club this season, but Wenger claimed that his current players had more character than those that were speaking out against them.

“Some people question this team’s character but they have character and attitude and some people who question them have less character than this team has,” Wenger added. “They should not question this team.”