Arsene Wenger confident Arsenal can reach Champions League last 16

Arsene Wenger gave his reaction after Arsenal kept their Champions League hopes alive by beating Dinamo Zagreb 3-0

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes his side can qualify for the Champions League last 16 after their 3-0 win against Dinamo Zagreb.

The Gunners kept their qualification chances alive following the comfortable victory over Dinamo, while Bayern Munich's victory over Olympiakos means qualification is back in the Premier League side's hands.

Wenger's men now head to Athens on December 9 knowing a win by two clear goals over Olympiakos - or any margin of victory if Arsenal score three goals or more - will be enough to see them qualify from Group F.

"We wanted to come out of the game with a chance to qualify," Wenger said.

"We needed to do the job and Bayern needed to do the job. Both did it well and it gives us a chance.

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"How big the chance is I don't know, but I believe we can do it. If you can win 1-0 you can win 2-0 as well. For us the task has one advantage - it's very clear."

Image: Arsenal sit third in Group F after five games

Alexis Sanchez was Arsenal's man of the moment and it was his double that breathed life into their hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase for a 16th consecutive season.

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However, the Chile international completed yet another 90 minutes and when asked why Sanchez was not substituted and rested, Wenger said: "Because a break makes him tired.

"I would have loved to have done it in this game, but when you're 3-0 ahead you're not in a position where you need him to work back.

Image: Alexis Sanchez scored twice as Arsenal kept their Champions League hopes alive

"We put him central up front where he could spare some energy. It's not like the flank where he has to go up and down. I tried to compromise a little bit, rest him a little bit.

"Olivier Giroud had a little problem on his ankle over the weekend so I decided to give him a little breather. I took Hector Bellerin off because he had a groin problem just before. Then of course I couldn't take Sanchez off. We now have five days to recover anyway.

"I don't know how important Alexis is percentage-wise, he's just a very important player."

Meanwhile, Dinamo Zagreb coach Zoran Mamic is backing Arsenal to get the result they need when they travel to Olympiakos on December 9.

Image: Mesut Ozil scored Arsenal's opener against Dinamo Zagreb

"They played much better than in the first match against us," he said.

"It's not easy to play against such quality players. When they put the pace on it was very difficult for us.

"I'm sure they can go through. They have a good chance. They are a higher quality team than Olympiakos and my opinion is that they will go through."

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