Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Europa League win lets Arsenal focus on final
ARSENE Wenger admits he is likely to shuffle his pack for next Thursday’s Europa League visit of Ostersund as Arsenal prepare for their Carabao Cup Final date.
The Gunners ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over Ostersund in their opening round-of-32 tie as a strong side coped with tricky conditions to ease to victory.
Nacho Monreal’s third goal in six games set them on their way, with Mesut Ozil — featuring i n this competition for the first time this season — wrapping up the win after Sotirios Papagiannopoulos scored an unfortunate own goal.
Ostersund saw a l ast-minute penalty saved by David Ospina, Arsenal’s captain on the night, as Wenger’s men all but assured themselves a place in the last 16.
That means the pressure is off on the return leg at the Emirates Stadium next week — with focus now able to be shifted to the Wembley meeting with Manchester City as Wenger looks to add a League Cup title to his impressive honours list.
“We’ll try to win the game again,” he said.
“Maybe we’ll rotate the players who did not play tonight and rest one or two who played tonight.
“I think we adapted quite well to the pitch. They were maybe a bit cautious at the start and we took advantage of it. Overall we won in a comfortable way.”
Osterund’s English manager, Graham Potter, bemoaned the start but was pleased that his players rallied to trouble Arsenal for periods of the tie.
“We showed what we were about in the second half, it is a shame we didn’t score the penalty but I’m most proud of how the players responded.”