Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has insisted his players must focus on finishing in the top four and not get carried away by making the FA Cup final.

The Gunners’ hopes of finishing within the Champions League spots are out of their own hands and Arsenal are dependent on Everton slipping up in arguably the more difficult season run-in.

Wenger believes its ‘vital’ for the club and the development of his players to play in the Champions League rather than the Europa League.

"It's vital to me to make the top four. I want this club to play in the Champions League,” the Frenchman said.

"What will be an advantage is our desire to play in this competition because we love the Champions League and just to imagine how much we love it will help us to achieve it.

"You don't go backwards (in the Europa League), but you want to play with the top teams. It is vital for the young players as well to be the in Champions League.

“You learn more by playing against Bayern or Barcelona or Real Madrid than if you play in the Europa League, that's for sure."

The Gunners boss admitted his side’s heavy defeats have impacted the player’s confidence, but is hopeful their progress to the FA Cup final will lift the spirits at the Emirates.

"We had a difficult schedule and today the rate of the negative results and negative aspects of the results in the big games is massive," he added.

"To deal with that is very difficult. When you have a succession of big games one after the other, if you lose the first one you are always in trouble.

Wenger then again claimed that his lengthy injury list is part of the reason for the club’s disappointing run of form in recent weeks.

"It's difficult to predict you will have Ozil, Walcott, Wilshere out at the same time and Ramsey, Wilshere, Ozil and Walcott out. It's too many," Wenger added.

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