Arsene Wenger: Arsenal have to finish in the top three

Fourth spot would mean facing qualifiers in August

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger needs to understand his side's have not been good enough to win the Premier League (Getty)

By the time Arsenal kick-off at Sunderland on Sunday they could be back in fourth as they are starting after the final whistle will have sounded at the Etihad where Manchester City will have played Stoke.

Victory against West Brom on Thursday helped Arsenal regain momentum in the battle for the top four and while the priority now for this team is keeping the red half of Manchester in the rearview mirror if they could keep the blue half there too that would obviously make for a more pleasant summer for the Gunners.

“Fourth is not guaranteed Champions League, top three is,” as the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday night. “That’s why that is important. We want to play against the top teams so we want to be in the Champions League [proper]."

Wenger admitted that these days it is less about cash, more about preperation. “What has changed over the years is that the impact of the finances in the Champions League is not as big anymore,” he said. “It was vital for us for a period but the impact if you finish fourth - the planning for the next season - of course changes completely, especially when you have a big tournament like the European Championships. This is now like a World Cup because it starts on the 10th of June and finishes on the 10th of July. When you have to play Champions League qualifiers the Euros are still going on.

“But, look, for us we don’t know where we will finish - we are not guaranteed top four and we have to fight for that. Man United is behind us and they will fight for it as well.”

Wenger knows keeping that third spot by the time Sunday is done will be no easy task. “It will be a battle at Sunderland,” he said. “I have to see how people recover from the West Brom game first and then make a decision on Saturday [about who will play]. But Sunderland have found stability now with Sam Allardyce’s big experience. They have a good midfield: Kirchhoff, Cattermole, and M’Vila and they have Khazri on the left who is dangerous as well.”

Wenger is not sure if Jack Wilshere will be involved despite him playing a third game this week to help his return from injury. “He made a big improvement in his third game back,” Wenger said. “His first two he was all right but in the third he found his burst back, his change of place. If I don't take him this weekend, I will take him the following week.”