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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Nathan Ridley

Ian Wright provides honest view on Arsenal "progress" in doubts over top four

Ian Wright has backed Arsenal to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season - but still has his doubts over Mikel Arteta 's side.

The Gunners legend, 58, believes his old club will qualify for the Champions League for the first time since Arsene Wenger 's penultimate campaign in 2016.

They currently sit four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United but have three games in hand on the Red Devils, giving Wright the confidence to make his prediction.

"I think we are going to do it. They need four points from their games in hand [against Burnley and Tottenham ]. Can Arsenal recognise that this is it now? This is the season," Wright stated on the Ringer FC podcast.

Join the debate! Will Arsenal finish in the top four? Let us know your prediction below.

Wright thinks Arsenal will finish in the top four (NurPhoto/PA Images)

"Whatever you say about United, they have the firepower and players and they will start to take their chances and click. That’s what worries me about United.

"But there’s something happening at the club with the in-fighting. If that’s happening, how do you continue to put in the performances to get the top four? Southampton could have beaten them [ in their 1-1 draw on Saturday ]."

Wright pre-empted his comments by assessing Arsenal's rivals and their chances, having claimed at the start of the term that the Gunners would be on the right track if they finished sixth.

"When you look at Arsenal, they’ve got Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham, Man United soon, so it’s going to be tough," the former striker admitted.

"I said at the start of the season, if we could get sixth, I would be so happy and I think Mikel Arteta would be where he should be, in and around sixth-place, and then you start to progress from there.

"When you look at how everyone is doing at the moment, everyone is playing each other. If Arsenal can win games like the Wolves one [ a 1-0 victory away from home last Thursday ], I’ll be happy with that.

"I fear for West Ham because they’ve got the seriousness of the Europa League coming now and it gets more intense now, they play more frequently and the games are tougher. That’s why you worry for them.

Arteta has Arsenal as one of the frontrunners (WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)

"I don’t think West Ham will be able to sustain it, with the Europa League as well.

"Spurs, I don’t know what’s happening with them and they go to Man City, United, Liverpool and Arsenal soon. Those are tough games for a Spurs who look the way they do right now.

"United have big games too so I can’t call it, I can’t. But when you look at how poorly some teams are performing, it’s interesting."

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