Harry Redknapp has thrown down the gauntlet to opposite number Arsene Wenger in Tottenham’s battle to beat Arsenal to third place in the Barclays Premier League, by roaring: “Bring it on, Arsene.”

Saturday saw Spurs boss Redknapp watch his side take a crucial step towards finishing in the top four by drawing 0-0 at Chelsea, maintaining the five-point gap to their fifth-placed opponents.

The result was not enough to prevent them slipping further adrift of the resurgent Gunners, who racked up a seventh successive league win to turn what had threatened to be a 13-point deficit to their arch-rivals during last month’s north London derby, into a three-point lead.

Tottenham have now gone five league matches without a victory, but Saturday’s performance suggested that blip was about to end during a run-in that looks easier than that of their arch-rivals, who have Manchester City and Chelsea still to play.

Redknapp scoffed at suggestions third place may be beyond his side, saying: “No, it’s not out of reach, of course not.

“I still think we’ll finish above Arsenal – bring it on, Arsene.”

Wenger’s Arsenal have never finished below Tottenham, who last ruled the roost in the capital in 1995.

They looked certain to do so a month ago but their mini-slump began to cast doubt on whether they would even secure a top-four spot.

“The position we were in a month ago, we looked nailed on, didn’t we?” Redknapp said.

“It would be a bigger blow if we don’t make it, that’s for sure. That would knock me for six.”

It really is now theirs to lose, with Chelsea facing an even tougher run-in than Arsenal, as well as a nightmare schedule that includes a Champions League quarter-final.

Redknapp admitted it would suit Spurs for the Blues to reach the semi-finals, saying: “Of course – we want them to go through.

“I think they’ll beat Benfica over two games, although I think it’ll be a tough game away first leg, and then obviously Barcelona in the semi-final.

“We’re all hoping for that because we all want to come here (Stamford Bridge) and watch it – I certainly do.”

Saturday’s point was therefore arguably their most crucial of the season and Redknapp insisted that it would still be an achievement just to qualify for the Champions League.

Indeed, the 65-year-old suggested that was an even tougher task this year than when he led them into the competition in 2010.

He said: “Man City are now established as a certainty, Man United are a certainty, Arsenal have been there every year, Chelsea, Liverpool are going to get stronger.

“You’d have thought if you can make it this year, it’s going to be even harder.”

He added: “I enjoyed it last year. It was new to me, it wasn’t something that I’ve had.

“It’s not been part of my life any more than it’s been part of Tottenham’s life.

“They’ve not been used to Champions League, so it wasn’t suddenly: `Oh my God, we’ve not got Champions League’.”

With Redknapp favourite to become the next England manager, it may prove his only taste of the competition and he had a warning for whoever was in charge at White Hart Lane next season.

“If you want to do it again, you’ve got to improve,” he said.

“These top teams are going to keep improving.

“Chelsea are not going to stand still. They are going to go out and improve their team because the owner does that.

“Man City are going to improve, Man United, Arsenal are already making plans to bring new players in, Liverpool. It’s getting tougher.

“There are six teams, really.

“That six are going to be there unless somebody buys one of the (other) clubs.

“If they can get a Russian owner to buy Wigan who’s got billions then they could win the league, couldn’t they?

“That’s how silly the game is.”