---
title: "Arsenal: Champions League still Gunners priority, suggests Ray Parlour"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-champions-league-still-gunners-priority-suggests-ray-parlour/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Stephan Georgiou"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2019-08-23T13:25:59Z"
modified: "2019-08-23T13:25:59Z"
---

# Arsenal: Champions League still Gunners priority, suggests Ray Parlour

**Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has suggested that the Gunners’ primary aim should be securing a Champions League place, despite his former side’s positive start to the season.**

Unai Emery’s men have kicked off the new campaign with two wins out of two following their [victories](https://www.skysports.com/arsenal-results) over Newcastle United and Burnley.

But this weekend comes the sterner test of European champions Liverpool, and Arsenal head to Anfield having not won there since [2012](https://www.11v11.com/teams/arsenal/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Liverpool/).

The Gunners were [thrashed](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46656883) on their last visit in December and Parlour believes the Reds are a class apart – while Arsenal should be firmly focused on a Champions League spot rather than a title tilt.

He told [TalkSPORT](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1164054524023201792): “They’ve started well, with a good away win at Newcastle. The clean sheet was very important because that’s where they’ve really struggled away from home, and they got the job done at the weekend – but they’re two games you’d expect them to win.

“So I’m not getting carried away at all. I’ve heard a few shows yesterday saying we can challenge \[for\] the league, but they’re a million miles away from Manchester City and Liverpool at the moment.

“The most important thing is getting back into the Champions League. I said last season that they had every opportunity to get back in the Champions League last year. Obviously, the Europa League final was a real disappointment.

“But this season I’m exactly the same. If they can get fourth place, I’d be delighted with that.”

Parlour doesn’t exactly go overboard with his opinions, though nor does he with his demands of the Arsenal team.

With the squad (eventually) strengthening in multiple areas of the team thanks to their defensive deadline day [additions](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49275919), the squad is now stronger in terms of personnel with only a handful of senior [outgoings](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-arsenal/transfers/verein/11/saison_id/2019) at the club over the summer.

And with other top-four rivals [Chelsea](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-chelsea/transfers/verein/631/saison_id/2019) and [Spurs](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tottenham-hotspur/transfers/verein/148) not bringing many players in this summer themselves, Arsenal should be well-equipped to make an improvement on last season having gone so close in the [previous year](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table/2018).