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Even winning Europa League won't save Wenger: Souness

Souness believes it's like 'sticking plaster over a very serious wound' for the Gunners

Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the top four seem all but over, following their 2-1 loss to Brighton on Sunday.

The morale-bruising defeat was their fourth successive loss in all competitions and it left them 13 points adrift of the top four.

Winning the Europa League would give them their only chance of returning to the Champions League next season.

But, even following the route taken by Manchester United last season might not help the Gunners, said Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness.

While discussing Arsenal's next match - a Europa League last-16 match at AC Milan on Friday morning (Singapore time) - Souness said: "This could be the game that kick-starts the season - we've heard this said so many times. I don't see what winning the Europa League does for Arsenal, going forward.

"Sure, it gets them back into the Champions League, but that's sticking plaster over a very serious wound."

The former Liverpool and Newcastle manager believes that the damage has already been done for Wenger's successor.

He added: "The next manager coming in, whoever it is, thinks I've got three or four (players) I can hang my hat on, three or four they're my players for the next five years. They're not there."

Fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp believes Wenger will be questioning himself after losing four matches in a row for the first time since October 2002.

Said the former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder: "Will Arsene decide himself that he's had enough?

"Arsene must be questioning whether he can take this club on now, surely anyone would do when one has lost five of the last seven in the Premier League.

"I don't like to see him under this pressure, but he has had a great run and, if things aren't turning, not going in his favour, the players he has signed aren't good enough, there needs to be a change."

However, Redknapp added that change should take place at the end of the season.

If change does happen, Arsenal great Thierry Henry sees himself taking over the hot seat.

But Henry is desperate for his under-fire fellow Frenchman to have the "last word" on an Arsenal career that started back when Wenger took charge of the north London club in 1996.

Former France striker Henry, who is currently an assistant to Belgium coach Roberto Martinez, was asked on Sky Sports if he would take the Arsenal job should the opportunity arise.

"Listen, I'm a competitor, you don't back down from a challenge," the 40-year-old replied.

"We are hypothetically speaking before people jump ahead of everything, (but) I have never backed down from a challenge since I was young."

Another Arsenal legend, Ian Wright, had earlier warned Henry about taking the hot seat too soon, as he "needs more time to learn" before taking on the job where he would have the "world of Arsenal" on his shoulders.

But Henry is unperturbed. He said: "If you love a place and they ask - I repeat, they ask - for help, you are always going to say yes."

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