Henry issues Arteta a bold Arsenal challenge

With Arsenal’s Premier League campaign in tatters, Henry has challenged Arteta to give it everything in Europe.

Thierry Henry believes Mikel Arteta can still salvage Arsenal’s season by winning the Europa League to restore the club back into the Champions League.

While sympathetic towards Arteta’s struggles this season, Henry conceded Arsenal have underperformed.

The Gunners currently sit 10th in the Premier League and 12 points outside a top-four spot. An eight-point gap, meanwhile, stands between them and sixth-placed Liverpool, who occupy the final Europa League spot.

So, with the first leg of a Europa League semi-final tie with Villarreal coming up on Thursday, Henry has urged Arteta to go all out for glory.

“Listen, I’m a winner, and if we win the Europa League we’re in the Champions League, right?” the Arsenal legend told talkSPORT.

“But if we talk about the season, the fans have spoken about and have been loud about what is not happening at Arsenal Football Club at the minute.

“I’m never going to have a go at the manager because I’m a manager myself, although I’m not employed at the minute, I know how hard it is to pull the strings and make things happen.

“But at the end of the day, right now Arsenal are underperforming, and that’s not really me saying it, you just have to watch the games.

“If we win the Europa League you can’t say that’s nothing, it is something, it will be success and as we’ll be back in the Champions League which is where we want to be .

“It’s not how any of us would like to arrive there, but it would be great, I’d be over the moon if we can win the Europa League.

“But some stuff is not right at the club right now, and when people are vocal about it you have to be careful, because fans will always decide the future of someone, whether it’s a player, the coach, whatever.”

If Arsenal can beat Villarreal, an all-English final with Manchester United could await them should the Red Devils defeat AS Roma in their own final four clash.