Can you imagine Sir Alex telling his players that?

Liverpool legend Alan Hansen has criticised Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for recently suggesting finishing in second place behind Manchester United in the Premier League would constitute a successful season.

The Match of the Day pundit argues Sir Alex Ferguson would never dare suggest finishing as runners up would be successful and suggests his former Liverpool side of the 1980s would have a similar mentality, intimating it was win at all costs for the ex-defender, who won eight league titles during his glittering Anfield career.

Hansen believes Wenger’s recent assessment of their season has perhaps had an adverse effect on his players, because it will have allowed them to rest of on their laurels.

Following yesterday’s late draw with Liverpool, Arsenal are currently six points behind Manchester United with six games to go, yet Hansen argues the Gunners are a big enough side to never settle for second place.

Hansen told the Daily Telegraph: "At Liverpool, we were always told that first is first and second is nowhere.

“Arsenal are a big club, so they shouldn’t be going away from that phrase.

"Clubs such as United and Liverpool would never settle for second best.

“Can you imagine Sir Alex telling his players that second place is acceptable?

"Winning is everything. Some purists might argue that that is a flawed attitude, but this is big-time sport and that is how it is if you want to lift trophies and win silverware.”