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John Hartson: 'Arsenal must continue to back Mikel Arteta'

:Headline: John Hartson: 'Arsenal must continue to back Mikel Arteta':
The Gunners have not missed out on European football since the 1995-96 season.
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John Hartson thinks Arsenal should continue to support Mikel Arteta despite the Gunners facing the prospect of having their worst league campaign for 26 years.

The pressure has grown on Arteta during a poor season, but Wednesday's 1-0 win at Chelsea lifted Arsenal to eighth place and gave them an outside chance of qualifying for Europe next season.

Arsenal have not missed out on European football since the 1995-96 campaign – former striker Hartson's first full season at the club – after finishing 12th in the top flight the previous term, but closing wins over Crystal Palace and Brighton could keep their proud record intact.

Arsenal players celebrate after Emile Smith Rowe (left) scored to give them a morale-boosting victory at Chelsea on Wednesday (Shaun Botterill/PA)

"I'm not saying he (Arteta) has had a great season because it's been disappointing," Hartson told the PA news agency.

"But he's a young manager and there have been some positives and improvements as well.

"The club made the decision to bring him in and I think they'll back him. I think that's the right thing to do.

"I know people are suggesting he's not experienced enough, but he's made some big calls in terms of leaving players out. He's shown that steeliness you need when you become a manager.

Former Arsenal striker John Hartson believes the club should continue to support manager Mikel Arteta (Handout photo provided by McDonald's/PA)

"He showed again at Chelsea that he can win the big games when Arsenal are disciplined and defend properly.

"He's had a full season now after winning the FA Cup and I don't see the owners wanting to chop and change after Unai Emery lasted less than two years at the club."

Arteta has hinted at a busy summer transfer window at the Emirates Stadium as he looks to get the club back among the top sides in the Premier League.

Arsenal have finished outside the top four each season since being runners-up in the 2015-16 campaign.

Defender David Luiz is among the Arsenal players whose futures are in doubt this summer (PA)

Several fringe players are expected to depart, with decisions also to be made on whether to offer new deals to the likes of Brazilian defender David Luiz.

"They have to rebuild," Hartson said. "If they want to keep up with Manchester City and Chelsea they have to keep their best young players and go and build.

"They've got some really good young players like (Bukayo) Saka and (Emile) Smith Rowe, but they maybe need a midfield player and have got to shore up defensively.

"They're not as strong as they'd like to be defensively and need some experience there."

Arteta insisted his side had not given up hope of qualifying for Europe next term after Arsenal's first Stamford Bridge win in a decade.

"It's a bit of momentum going into the end of the season," Hartson said.

"I don't know if it makes much of a difference, but maybe there'll be a feel-good factor for the last two games.

"No Europe after 25 years would be a hell of a blow for a club the size of Arsenal."

:: Former Wales international John Hartson is launching nominations for the 2021 Welsh FA Grassroots Awards, presented by McDonald's. To nominate your grassroots hero, go to www.mcdonalds.co.uk/awards.

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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
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