Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hailed his team after they outclassed and outfought bitter rivals Spurs 2-0 at the Emirates on Saturday.

First half goals from Shkodran Mustafi and Alexis Sanchez gave the Gunners a comprehensive victory in the North London derby against a sorry Spurs team that was thoroughly outshadowed.

Speaking after the game Wenger praised his men who battled from the outset saying: “I think we played with purpose and good concentration and a desire always to be efficient.

“We had a great solidarity and the quality of our concentration from the first minute until the last was high.

“We never had a minute where we felt we had dropped our focus.

“Overall it was a very intense game.

“When you at the performance of the two teams it’s absolutely through the roof – distances covered and the mental strength shown.”

Wenger, however was still smarting from two contentious decisions that went against his side in the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City before the international break.

It was clear the calls still smarted as he said with a hint of anger in his voice: “The game should have been a draw and the referee influenced the decision.

“We have had a few away games when our performances have been good but when you lose you always have to go to definite conclusions without further analysis.

“We were not as bad as people said. We have 22 points today. We are a few points show but I can show you why.

“I don’t think we benefitted [from marginal decisions]. Two weeks ago we conceded a goal that was not marginally offside it was a yard offside and nobody found a word to say.

“Suddenly when we conceded a goal it’s normal for it to be a yard offside...but we just focus on our club.

“People have their own perceptions of us as a club. But we can only give one answer and that is on the football pitch.”