Alex Iwobi claimed Arsenal can still salvage their season by winning the Europa League and securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.
The Gunners took a giant stride towards the last 16 of Europe’s second-tier competition with a comfortable 3-0 win here in Ostersund last night.
Nacho Monreal and Mesut Ozil scored either side of a Sotirios Papagiannopoulos own goal to put Arsenal in control ahead of next Thursday’s return leg at Emirates Stadium.
The Europa League is increasingly looking as though it will provide their best chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League as the Gunners lie eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with 11 games remaining.
However, Iwobi believes the Gunners have not given up domestically and can still rescue a troubled campaign to date.
Asked if the players believed Europa League glory was the most likely route back to the Champions League, the midfielder told Standard Sport: “No, we have to do our best in both competitions. That’s what we are trying to do: get top four and also win this competition. That’s the aim.”
Iwobi also warned Arsenal cannot afford any complacency in next Thursday’s second leg, especially with the Carabao Cup Final against Manchester City to come three days’ later.
“You could say that [we have one foot in the next round] but there is still a job to do and we have to do it at home,” he said. “There is still half the tie to play.
“First we have to focus on Thursday, take each game step by step. We have to prepare one more game before the cup final.”
