Arsenal earned a point from their match against in-form Manchester United, but Jamie Carragher isn’t convinced that they will make the top four.
The Gunners were missing Bukayo Saka, Kieran Tierney and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, yet they didn’t lose to the Red Devils.
The draw moves them above Chelsea temporarily to 8th on the league table and just six points off the top four.
But Carragher thinks aiming for the top four is simply too much for this Arsenal team.
He admits that they would expect to play European football next season, but their best chance of playing in the Champions League is winning the Europa League.
He added that the Gunners struggled in the first half against United, but they did well overall.
However, if they finish this season with a Europa League qualification, they would have done well.
Asked what Arteta’s target should be, the pundit said as quoted by Metro Sport: “To be playing European football next season. They are still in the Europa League so that’s an avenue for them for Champions League, there’s no way they’re going to get top four.
“But can they sneak into the Europa League if it goes down to seventh position? I think for Arsenal where they were at the start of this season they wouldn’t be any hope of the title.
“But I think they would’ve wanted to challenge for top four after winning a lot of big games, winning the FA Cup, I think that would’ve been the expectancy to challenge.
“They had such a horrific time the first half of the season. The result (against United) and the performance they’ll be pleased not having their best three players.
“There’s still a long way to go, they’ll be having an eye on next season as well. If they’re in the Europa League next season they’ll have done OK, considering where they were.”
When Aubameyang, Saka and Tierney returns, the Gunners will become better, and perhaps win more games to prove Carragher wrong.