Europa League

Martin Keown: 'Europa League a lifeline for Arsene Wenger'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 11 March 2018

Martin Keown believes that Arsene Wenger's team selection for Arsenal's Premier League meeting with Watford indicates that the Europa League is his priority this season.

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has claimed that Arsene Wenger's team selection for the Premier League meeting with Watford shows that the Europa League is his priority this season.

The Gunners boss made numerous changes for Sunday's game at the Emirates Stadium, with Laurent Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey not in the matchday squad.

Arsenal currently sit 13 points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the table but face AC Milan in the Europa League next Thursday buoyed by a 2-0 first-leg lead in the last-16 tie.

Manchester United got into the Champions League by virtue of winning the Europa League last season, and Keown has suggested that Wenger will have the same thing in mind.

"Wenger sees the Europa League as a lifeline," Keown told BBC Sport.

"He's a survivor. He wants to win the Europa League. Atletico Madrid will have something to say about it - and they've still got to get past AC Milan.

"But that's why he's made changes today, with the second leg in mind. That's not quite turned it into a sideshow today but he's laid his cards out, saying this is the team I want to face Milan."

Goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ramsey gave Arsenal the advantage at San Siro.