Arsenal: Premier League dream and Europa League conundrum - what should Arsenal do?

Add as a preferred source on Google

Arsenal will be squaring up against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League round of 16 first-leg match on Thursday.

The Gunners will be taking the trip to Lisbon as they host Sporting at the Emirates next week for the final leg. But amid Arsenal's current Premier League run, what will be the Gunners' mindset going into the game?

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have reinvigorated themselves in the span of a season as they sit at the top of the Premier League table. With just 12 games to go, Arsenal are currently clear of 2nd placed Manchester City by 5 points and are finding a way to get three points in every match. As their title bid is nearing the crucial final lap, will Europa League hold the same importance as it would have at the start of the season?

Well, Europa League is a continental trophy, and the Gunners would love to have one under their kitty. They came agonizingly close to winning the Europa League in 2019, but then Unai Emery's Arsenal were thrashed by Chelsea in the Final.

But what winning Europa League provides is a way to Champions League football next season. But Arsenal's league position almost warrants that they will make it within the top four and qualify for the Champions League by default. European glory is special, but will Mikel Arteta risk their title bid for Europa League? I think the answer will be an emphatic NO!

Arsenal have never been this close to winning a league title in the past 19 years. Since their last triumph in 2004 as Invincibles, this is the season where it suddenly feels the vibrant Arsenal have found its heartbeat back. The stadium is buzzing, the fans are behind the team, the connection between the players and the fans is cohesive - and Mikel Arteta has quite nicely curated this renaissance.

The Emirates has never been this alive. The Gunners fans have endured a lot of pain, a toxic break-up with Arsene Wenger and countless heartbreak and sufferings over the years. But finally, they are believing and living every moment of this ongoing euphoria. The Reiss Nelson goal against Bournemouth last week sent the stadium to delirium. Fans, Staff, Players all were in frenzy and the last-gasp drama created a tsunami of raw, pure emotion this club hasn't felt for a long long time.

It doesn't mean they will win the league. But with twelve games to go, this lot will go for it and give their last drop of sweat. The radical change in mentality, the oozing belief and some rigid character have grown in this young Arsenal team, and they believe their exuberance and class will propel them forward.

Arsenal don't want a Bukayo Saka to get a nibble in a Europa League game and perhaps that will take a toll in the weekend game - they simply can't afford it now. Arteta won't mind playing the likes of Matt Turner, Jakub Kiwior, Kieran Tierney and others - who are equally important but have been peripheral characters thus far. But they may refrain from playing the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba or someone like Saka.

Although the team will be raring to go, eager to win every match, this is time they will have to be realistic. With the limited squad that Arsenal has, one or two injuries can jeopardize their season and all of this intense appetite will evaporate.

So, will Arteta risk that for Europa League? No way.