Arsenal's Champions League Exit Could Be Positive for Their Domestic Title Hunt

Last night Arsenal was knocked out of the Champions League in controversial fashion. The one question Arsenal fans will be asking today is where does the team go from here?

Arsenal travels to Old Trafford on Saturday in the FA Cup, and the importance of this fixture cannot be stressed enough. It would be so easy, like every year, for Arsenal to go there and simply wilt under the pressure and disappointment from the past two weeks.

Arsene Wenger has been praising his team’s spirit and desire to win, more so this year than any previous, so it is vital that he finds a way to lift his team and have them put on a performance that can reignite their push for trophies this season.

But due to Uefa’s insistence on the Champions League knockout stages being stretched over two weeks, Arsenal could find themselves at an advantage going into this game as Manchester United hosts Marseille three days later. No doubting this will be a game Alex Ferguson will base his FA Cup team around.

Much like last year, Arsenal will be buoyed by the fact that they have the easier set of fixtures ahead of them than United. But unlike last year, the team’s strength in depth seems stronger this time around. With United, and even Chelsea, still involved in European competition, this may be Arsenal’s chance to get a clear run at the domestic double.

It is still unclear whether Arsenal will have Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas available to them for the trip to United, but it is evident the team struggled to put games to bed in their absence. The Carling Cup final being a prime example of the difficulty this Arsenal side will have without any genuine attacking direction.

But if Arsenal can get their first XI fit, and a marvelous, attacking starting XI it is, then the Champions League exit to Barcelona may have been just what they needed. Come May, we will be able to reflect on last night as a turning point in Arsenal’s season. Whether it is a positive or negative one is entirely up to Arsene Wenger and the team.