Arsene Wenger: I Will Not Rest Players Against Östersunds FK

By The Editor
on 12th February 2018

Arsene Wenger has previously rotated players in this competition…

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Arsene Wenger has made it clear that he will not be resting players in our Europa League clash against Ostersunds FK despite adopting that policy during the early stages of the season, Goal reports.

Wenger exclusively retained a team for the Europa League in the group stages and successfully navigated us through to the last-32 round has seeded, group winners.

However, following an eventful January window in which a number of first-team players departed, players who only found game-time in this competition, Wenger’s hands are tied.

Olivier Giroud, Francis Coquelin, Theo Walcott, Mathieu Debuchy and Alexis Sanchez are gone – and so might be our chances of qualifying for the Champions League by way of the top-four.

The defeat at Spurs has left us seven points off the cherished position, and our shock exit in the FA Cup 3rd exit has meant that we have a light fixture list for the duration of the season.

“I would have anyway gone for it, especially as we have no game between the two matches,” Wenger said.

“I will play the normal team because it is one of the opportunities we have especially because we don’t play in the FA Cup. There is no reason why I should rest players.”

Wenger’s comments are encouraging, but one wonders if he’ll keep the same mindset once the second-leg beckons with a cup final against Manchester City taking place days later.

The boss has previously said that he’ll take the Europa League seriously if we reach the quarter-final stage, but that was before our latest conundrum in the league.