Arsenal have ‘a massive advantage’ over their rivals in the race for a top-four finish

Arsenal have ‘a massive advantage’ over their rivals in the race for a Champions League qualification spot, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Gunners are aiming to return to Europe’s elite cup competition for the first time since 2016/17 under the stewardship of young manager Mikel Arteta.

Under legendary boss Arsene Wenger, Arsenal were mainstays across continental competition, even reaching the Champions League final in 2006 before losing to Barcelona.

However, a trophyless campaign and an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League last term saw the north London outfit fail to qualify for Europe for the first time in 26 years.

It was an embarrassing moment in Arsenal’s history that epitomised just how far they have fallen in recent years, yet they have shown some promising shoots of recovery in recent times.

Arteta’s charges are currently sitting in sixth position in the top-flight table, just four points behind Manchester United, who occupy the all-important fourth spot.

But the capital club also have three games in hand over the Red Devils, leaving them in a favourable situation as they enter the final few months of the season.

Although Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship outfit Nottingham Forest in just the third round, meaning they are now in just one competition.

Get Lukaku OUT NOW! Chelsea fan fumes on The Football Terrace…

And Brown believes the absence of midweek games either at home or abroad will aid the Emirates Stadium outfit’s ambitions to finish in the top-four, allowing them to ‘concentrate’ solely on their league form.

He told GiveMeSport: “I think they’ve got a massive advantage because they’re not in Europe, they’re not playing