Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has publicly claimed that every Premier League match his side have for the rest of the current season is like a cup contest for The Gunners in their bid to claim another top-four finish and a place in next season's UEFA Champions League.
Wenger's men are up against Ligue 1 side AS Monaco later this month in the first round of knock-out stages, but due to their inconsistencies over the past few months, their place in the top four is not yet secure. Arsenal are up against Championship side Middlesbrough in tomorrow afternoon's game at The Emirates, where the current FA Cup holders will be looking to avoid a giant-killing following 'Boro's shock 2-0 away victory against defending Premier League champions Manchester City.
He had this to say: "Our basic is always to finish in the top four and then win a trophy on top of that. We want always to be in the Champions League and this season it will be very difficult, because it's very tight if you look at the table - every game now becomes a cup game.
We have won (the FA Cup) five times during my period here, nobody has won it more in the last 18 years, so we have always taken the competition seriously."