People who have managed zero games have opinions' - Wenger dismisses Scholes criticisms

The former Manchester United man hit out at the Gunners' record against their title rivals, insisting the north London outfit are "a million miles" away from winning the league

Arsene Wenger has hit out at Paul Scholes' assessment that Arsenal are "a million miles" away from winning the Premier League.

The former Manchester United man, while acting as a pundit for Sky Sports, criticised the Gunners' poor showings against their title rivals, adding: "[Arsenall] go to Chelsea, to Liverpool, to [Manchester] City and they just do nothing."

	ARSENAL LATEST
6/1	Arsenal are 6/1 with Paddy Power to beat Man City without conceding

Arsenal have drifted from contention in recent weeks following a 6-0 defeat to Chelsea and a 2-2 with Swansea City - but Wenger dismissed the remarks ahead of Saturday's clash with Manchester City.

"People who have managed zero games have opinions. We have to accept that," he told reporters.

"If six points is a 'million miles away', I don't know what the translation of a mile into a point is."

Scholes also hit out at the progression of Jack Wilshere, insisting he has not improved since coming to the fore at the age of 17, but Wenger pointed out the youngster's multiple fitness setbacks over the years.

He added: "Jack has been handicapped by many injuries, but once he is back and playing consistently he will show everybody that [Scholes] is wrong about that.

"He is an exceptional player - and Scholes knows that."

The Swansea result left Arsenal six points clear of fifth-placed Everton, who have a game in hand, and prompted Wenger to admit he is looking over his shoulder at Roberto Martinez's men.

"There is no other priority other than coming first - that is still our target," he said. "If people say Everton can catch us then we can catch the teams above us.

"The mood is of course disappointed but we want to prepare for the next game. We gave everything against Swansea. "We want to focus on our own strengths and we need to have a top defensive performance."

Arsenal host City on Saturday and will be keen to banish memories of a 6-3 defeat in the reverse fixture, although Wenger believes there are positives to be drawn from that performance.

"There's plenty of positives to take from the game at the Etihad," he said. "But of course we must defend better. We haven't started the big games on the front foot and we want to change that.

"We were 17 or 18 times top of the league this season. We need to continue to work well, we have been unlucky with injuries.