Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has his say on Premier League v Champions League debate | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has set his sights on Arsenal challenging for the Champions League after falling so far behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

They are all but through to a quarter-final tie against either Real Madrid or Atlético Madrid after their record breaking 7-1 first leg win away to PSV Eindhoven.

The Arsenal manager was characteristically enigmatic when quizzed as to which trophy he would rather win.

The Catalan coach said: “I’m very lucky because I don’t have to choose, nobody has put me in that situation. We have four [competitions] at the start of the season, we go for the four of them and see what we get.”

Arteta was also asked if he was happy to be second in the Premier League table and on the verge of a last eight spot in Europe’s elite knockout competition so far this season.

He responded: “Somebody said that? I don’t know. That’s for somebody to understand and to put that. If somebody was to say that with the injuries that we had, with five red cards and everything that’s going on, probably. But I don’t know. Everybody has different opinions; you have to respect that.

“Can we win the Champions League? It’s the demands that we put on every competition that we play. It’s not adding pressure; it’s the reality of where we are and what we want to deliver and we are very much conscious that the demands for this football club are to reach the highest level and win those competitions.”

Arsenal are expected to make numerous changes to their starting line-up with the Dutch side so far behind from last week’s encounter in Eindhoven.

Arteta has few options to change his squad from Sunday’s draw at Manchester United but is expected to hand a rare start for fit again defender Ben White.

He explained: “That connection that we had on the right side with Ben, Bukayo [Saka] and Martin [Odegaard] was something exceptional and a real threat in the team, we missed that. It’s true that Jurrien has been equally exceptional as well with his performance and consistency. Now we’re going to have another option, which is great to have.

“Everybody finished the game against Man United with no issues, so I expect the same players to be available and Gabby [Martinelli]  for sure will be available as well.

“The academy players? We did that once when we could, and it’s always great because they’ve been extremely helpful, and bringing so much to the team.

“So, whenever you have the opportunity to any player to say thank you or to give minutes, which in the end is the way of telling them that we trust you and we appreciate what you do for us, we will do.”