Champions League Group Stage Via 3rd Place Would Prove Arsenal on Right Track

Although the forthcoming clash between Arsenal and Manchester United is being presented as the last throes of the battle for third place, the reality is that the position is very much the Gunners’ to lose. Even if they suffer a defeat at Old Trafford, they can still secure automatic passage into the Champions League group stage with victories in their two remaining games.

Speaking to Arsenal.com, Arsene Wenger stated his belief that finishing in third would represent a measure of progress for Arsenal:

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We feel we have made progress, but we have a good opportunity to show that on Sunday because in every game that is questioned.

It’s very important for your season preparations to not have that kind of stress [about the Champions League qualifier] over your head from the first day you start again - it’s vital. The consequences are always dramatic if you don’t qualify.

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Obviously, an improvement in their final league position would be a step in the right direction for Wenger’s side. However, the benefits of automatic qualification for the Champions League are more significant than the boost in prize money awarded for edging one rung up the Premier League ladder.

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It means a summer of security, wherein Arsenal do not have the shadow of a qualifier hanging over them. That has a direct impact on spending plans.

In years when they’ve finished fourth, Wenger has typically waited until qualification is secure before making full use of his budget. If they can finish in third, there will be no such concerns. Arsenal can proceed with their recruitment plans early, ensuring their squad is in place and settled ahead of the start of next season.

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That will be vitally important if Arsenal are to improve upon their poor start to the 2014/15 season. The Gunners made a disastrous start to their Premier League campaign. The World Cup and injury problems have both been blamed for their slow start.

However, it’s equally possible that it was at least in part due to the distraction of a European qualifier. The lead Chelsea built up in that period ultimately proved insurmountable. They tore into an early lead, and the Gunners were left trailing in their dust. This time around, Arsenal ought to be in a position to hit the ground running. There is no room for excuses.

There will still be frustration in the Arsenal camp that their grasp on second place has slipped away. Finishing as runners-up for the first time in a decade would have sent a clear message that, as Chelsea’s closest challengers, they were ready to figure prominently in the title race next season. However, the defeat to Swansea has left third as their most likely prize.

That’s still something to be valued. Guaranteeing a Champions League place would take the pressure off Wenger’s men and enable them to focus on their goal of launching a credible bid for the title next year.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.