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Liverpool legend John Barnes has claimed that Mikel Arteta would prioritize finishing in the top four over winning the Europa League for Arsenal this season.
THE LOWDOWN: DIFFERENT ROUTES TO EXPLORE
It is no secret that Arsenal want to return to the Champions League. A late-season collapse last term ensured that the Gunners have now missed out on club’s elite competition for five seasons in a row. A fifth-place finish did ensure that they returned to Europe though; with their sights set on an Europa League triumph.
While a top-four finish in the Premier League will bring back some highly-coveted midweek action back to the Emirates, Arsenal and Arteta can also go through the route of the Europa League as the winner of the competition also gets an automatic spot to the Champions League.
While many are of the opinion that going through the latter route above is quite easier to secure a Champions League spot, especially for Premier League sides, John Barnes is of the opinion that Arteta will take the Premier League more seriously than European football’s second-tier club competition.
THE LATEST: PREMIER LEAGUE SHOULD BE PRIORITY
Speaking in an interview with BonusCodeBets, Barnes simply explained the thought process behind his opinion and believes Arteta will try to make top-four in the Premier League more than anything else.
He said: “Right now Arteta will probably have his focus on the Premier League, because Arsenal wants to be in the Champions League. Arsenal would prefer to finish top fourth in the Premier League. That is 100% the priority.”
“As a club you have to consider if you would rather try to win the Europa League and finish 5th in the league, than being knocked out from Europa League and finish 4th.”
THE VERDICT: NO NEED TO PRIORITIZE ANY
There is no need to prioritize any competition over the other. The ideal thing for Mikel Arteta to do is to take it one game at a time and keep the Arsenal squad as competitive as possible in all competitions.
Regardless of a Europa League triumph or not, a top-four spot should be the barest minimum of ambitions after a summer of heavy investment in signings.
