Arsene Wenger to rest key players in Europa League

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London, Aug 6: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted he will rest and rotate his first team squad in the Europa League this season insisting he prioritises English Premier League over Europa league.

Arsenal have won the FA Cup three times in last four years but their league form had been disappointing. The Gunners finished 5th last season and for the first the time, Wenger has to advance in the season without Champions league football.

Since the last two seasons, Champs of the Europa League have earned a place at European football's top table and teams like Sevilla and Manchester United benefitted with the same impact after both they finished outside top 4 in the last two season.

But in spite of the fact that that this competition could give Arsenal a practical course once more into the Champions League, Wenger insisted he would want to concentrate on League more firmly to cement their position in next season's UCL.

"For us it is a good opportunity to focus completely on the Premier League," Wenger said. "I would say that the Premier League has, in my opinion, taken over from the Champions League interest-wise."

Arsenal's season will begin with their Community Shield match today and on the 25 August and they will know their Europa league opponents. Gunners have the chance of getting long outings to Sheriff Tiraspol, Fastav Zlin and Zorya Luhansk this pre-winter. But Wenger suggested he does not have any desire to risk Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in such matches.

"I will always play a team that has a good chance to win the next game," Wenger said. "In the Europa League if we can afford sometimes to rest some players we will do it. But we have to adapt to the level of the competition and see first what kind of group we play in."

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