Arteta has built Europe’s best team – but the Premier League is the top priority

Arsenal are top of the Premier League and the Champions League tables, but winning the former could set up the Gunners for a sustained period of dominance

Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into the best team in Europe. The Gunners have swept all before them in the Champions League to win a club record seven consecutive games in the competition.

But despite their European domination, it is surely more important for Arteta to win the Premier League title above any other trophy this season. That, in my view, would put Arsenal onto a period of domination in English football when so much more silverware will follow.

All of this does sound remarkably arrogant and self-entitled for a club which has only won one FA Cup during Arteta’s six-year reign. Beggars cannot be choosers and Arsenal fans would be happy to win either of the big prizes.

But they have this wonderful opportunity because Arteta has built a formidable squad, a terrific team and they look the best team in Europe. Arsenal beat Inter Milan 3-1 on Tuesday night at the San Siro and they are the best team in Italy right now, sitting pretty on top of Serie A.

They also smashed Bayern Munich, the best team in Germany, at the Emirates when Arsenal delivered one of their best 45 minutes of football of the season against Harry Kane and Co.

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Arsenal won at Athletic Bilbao back in September and, while they are not the best in Spain, Arteta should feel confident of beating the best they have to offer.

Arteta knocked out Real Madrid last year and that run to the semi finals has clearly given them experience and knowledge for this year. Arsenal are so strong in defence because William Saliba and Gabriel are a real force at the back while David Raya is a superb keeper.

Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi have been terrific in midfield while Bukayo Saka has shown time and again that he is a big performer on the top stage.

Goals have been a problem but Gabriel Jesus and even Viktor Gyokeres showed they can deliver against Inter Milan. That is the one area for concern but Kai Havertz is coming back from injury.

Arsenal are now the bookies favourites to win the Champions League and, by finishing in the top two, they are not guaranteed a favourable draw necessarily but they are at home for the second leg through the knock-out which is an advantage.

No-one in Europe will fancy facing Arsenal and maybe the hardest draw would be against another English team because those games can quickly turn into blood-and-thunder derby matches.

But Arsenal should feel confident because they are seven points ahead in the Premier League and have been dominating the best and hardest league in the world.

From here, the biggest threat to Arsenal might just be themselves because it is all there for them. They may be haunted by finishing runners-up three years in a row.

And that brings it back to why it is so important to win the title this year. It would be the first title in 22 years and would push them through a huge psychological barrier.

The Champions League is a cup competition. You can get lucky along the way. Were Liverpool the best team in 2005? Chelsea maybe got lucky in 2012. But both were the best over the course of the whole season when they won the domestic title.

Even Arsene Wenger did not win the Champions League with the Invincibles and they were definitely best team in Europe. If Arsenal do win the title this year then there is no doubt the Champions League can follow under Arteta.

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