Saturday 23 April 2016 21:38, UK
Arsene Wenger has his eyes on a top-three finish in the Premier League as he looks to avoid a Champions League play-off.
The Gunners occupy third spot ahead of their Super Sunday game with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light this weekend after they defeated West Brom 2-0 on Thursday night.
Arsenal's title bid faltered badly amid a poor run of results after the turn of the year but a 20th consecutive season of Champions League football remains on the cards.
That may not be enough to appease some of Arsene Wenger's increasingly vocal critics but the Gunners boss knows third place still represents a respectable return and would see them go straight into the group stages of the competition.
"Top four is not Champions League. Top three, yes. That's why it is important," he said.
"We want to play against the top teams and we want to be in the Champions League.
"What has changed over the years is that the impact of the finances in the Champions League is not as big any more. For a period in the past the money was vital for us.
"But the sporting impact, the planning of the next season, of course it changes completely. Especially when you have a big summer tournament like the Euros which is now like a World Cup because it starts on June 10 and finishes on the July 10.
"When you have to play Champions League qualifiers the European Championship is still going on. You can play teams in the qualifiers who are in the middle of their championship because they have started already in June.
"But for us we don't know where we finish. We are not guaranteed top four and we have to fight for that.
"Man United are behind us and they will fight for it as well. We have difficult games and so do they."
Watch Sunderland v Arsenal on Super Sunday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports 1 HD at 1pm.
