Arsene Wenger claims missing out on top four is not ‘a big problem’… but he’s changed his tune from previous years

AFTER Arsenal kept their top four aspirations alive, Arsene Wenger bizarrely claimed reaching the Champions League would be “nothing special”.

Alexis Sanchez netted twice to seal a 2-0 victory over Sunderland, ensuring they go into a final day showdown with Liverpool and Manchester City for a place in Europe’s elite competition.

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However, Wenger oddly insisted he doesn’t know why a top four finish has become “a big problem” in recent times.

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He said: “You never know – but anyway, I answered for 20 years the question, ‘the top four is nothing special’.

“So I don’t know why suddenly it could become such a big problem.”

Despite his claim, Wenger has openly gone down on the record to say that qualifying for the Champions League is of vital importance.

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For example, speaking at Arsenal's Annual General Meeting in 2012, Wenger said: "For me, there are five trophies.

"The first is to win the Premier League, the second is to win the Champions League, third is to qualify for the Champions League, fourth is the FA Cup and the fifth the League Cup.

"I say that because if you want to attract the best players, they do not ask 'did you win the League Cup?', they ask you 'do you play in the Champions League?'.

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"If everybody is absolutely devastated when we finish third in the league, I promise you I will not be here if you finish 15th one day."

That quote looks even more strange now, with Arsenal's only hope of silverware this term being the FA Cup - his fourth priority.

After the 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Sunderland, also in 2012, hen urged: "The first trophy is to finish in the top four.

"And that's still possible. I believe finishing fourth is vital for us, so let's focus on that."

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Then again, two years later in 2014, after slipping out of the title race once more Wenger roared: “It’s vital to me to do it [qualify for the Champions League].

"I want this club to play in the top level competition. For that you want to be in the Champions League."

The only logical solution would appear to be that Wenger is downplaying the situation so as to remove the pressure from his Arsenal players.

It's either that or he's simply given up... and that wouldn't be like him. Would it?