Former Bayern Munich midfielder, Owen Hargreaves, reckons that Arsenal need to give their everything in the Europa League because it’s their best route into the Champions League.

With Arsenal currently in fifth place and the Premier League’s top four growing increasingly competitive, Hargreaves believes that the Gunners’ most straight-forward route back into the Champions League is to win the Europa League.

“They’ll be one of the favourites obviously,” he said on BT Sport.

“Along with Atletico Madrid, they’re the best teams in the competition.

“But I think Arsenal desperately need to take this competition seriously. They’re not going to win the Premier League that’s for sure. Top four is definitely not a guarantee.

“(They need to) find a way to this competition. Surely this must be a priority for Arsene Wenger to finish this season. This has to be their go to.”

I can’t help but agree with Hargreaves. At the end of last season and beginning of this one, I was positive that I didn’t care about the Europa League. However, with our form being irritatingly inconsistent and some of our star players not showing up for several matches, while top four should be an aim, we shouldn’t be relying on it.

Instead, having a good run in Europe, even though it’s not the Champions League, must be a priority.

Arsenal drew Swedish side Östersund in the next round of the Europa League, which should be a straight-forward win. However, if Wenger doesn’t take the competition seriously and the B-team put in the same type of performance they did away to FC Cologne, we could exit the competition red-faced.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.