Mikel Arteta will have ‘failed’ at Arsenal without top-four finish, warns William Gallas

Arsenal need to qualify for the Champions League this season otherwise Mikel Arteta has ‘failed’ at the Emirates.

That’s the view of former Gunners captain William Gallas, who feels a top-four finish is a minimum requirement for the club.

Arteta is into his third season with the Gunners and the board have provided him with significant funds to invest in the squad, while affording him the chance to shape it in his image with a number of big calls, such as discarding Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gunners’ win against Wolves last week helped them build on dropped points from West Ham, Manchester United and Tottenham.

It’s left the Gunners four points off Manchester United in fourth but with three games in hand on the Red Devils.

Arsenal are therefore in a strong position to achieve their aim for the season but Gallas says anything but a top four finish will represent ‘failure’ from Arteta.

‘If they don’t finish top four, it’s a failure. It’s that simple,’ Gallas speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk on behalf of Bet365. ‘When you play and manage a big club like Arsenal, your target is to finish top four. I know it’s not easy with so many clubs like City, Chelsea, United, Liverpool, Tottenham but that doesn’t matter – you have to finish in the top four at a minimum.

‘You’ve got a strong squad with Arsenal, if Arteta doesn’t make top four, he’s failed.’

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Arteta took a major gamble in January by letting the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari leave the