Cech: Europa League not the end of the world for Arsenal

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech insists ending up in next season’s Europa League would not be a disaster for the Gunners.

Arsene Wenger’s side go into the final day of the Premier League season needing to win at home to Everton and hope Liverpool fail to beat relegated Middlesbrough at Anfield to finish in the top four.

They could also make it in if Manchester City lose at Watford and there is a five-goal swing in the goal difference between the pair.

Realistically, though, Arsenal are set to miss out on Champions League football for the first time since 1998.

Alexis Sanchez struck twice as Wenger’s side beat bottom club Sunderland on Tuesday night to take the race down to the wire.

The three points against the Black Cats also assured Arsenal of a top-five finish, meaning they will at least play in the Europa League next year.

Some supporters are calling for Wenger to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season and the Frenchman has yet to announce whether he will sign a fresh deal or not.

Falling into the Europa League will be seen by those fans, a large number of whom boycotted the Sunderland fixture, as further vindication of their protestations.

Manchester United have reached the final this year and Jose Mourinho has acknowledged he is putting more into beating Ajax in Stockholm next week than in the remaining Premier League fixtures his sixth-placed side face.

And Cech, who won the competition in 2013 while playing for Chelsea, reckons it is a trophy worth winning – especially as the winners now receive a Champions League berth.

“A European trophy is a European trophy,” he said.

“I have to say you want to have the Champions League one rather than the Europa League one but you can see more and more, big teams are treating the Europa League with respect because it is a European trophy.

“Now you can qualify for the Champions League too. I have to say it is a fantastic memory for myself to look at the medal.

“I only played in it once and was fortunate in one go to have won it. But obviously I would rather be in the Champions League, that’s for sure. Let’s see what will happen.”