Petr Cech believes English sides are doing so well in Europe because of the relentless competitiveness of the Premier League but what about all the years English clubs were crap in Europe?

It’s a nice narrative.

When English clubs do well in Europe it’s because of the competitiveness of the ‘best league in the world’.

When they do badly it’s because there is too much competition.

Or something.

With Arsenal and Chelsea making the quarterfinals of the Europa League and United, Spurs, Liverpool and City doing the same in the Champions League, English clubs are enjoying a good run in the two top European competitions.

Some of that is down to luck in the case of United and Spurs, and even, perhaps, Arsenal to some degree, as well as the decline of the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

But Cech thinks he knows why they’re doing so well – that famed ‘competitiveness’.

“If you can see the quality of the football every week [in the Premier League], it is getting more and more competitive,” said Arsenal’s Europa League keeper.

“Sometimes the fact you have to fight every game takes energy out of you for the European games, but against Rennes it wasn’t the case.

“In the case of PSG [defeated by Manchester United], their problem is they don’t have enough big games during the year. In their league, they are not tested week in, week out. Then in the Champions League when you are under pressure, they are not used to it.”