THOMAS PARTEY INSISTS ARSENAL BELONG IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
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Thomas Partey has warned that Arsenal must stop giving their opponents chances after Granit Xhaka's high-profile blunder at Burnley.
The Gunners were cruising at Turf Moor, until Xhaka conspired to fire an attempted clearance at an onrushing Chris Wood to gift them an equaliser.
Arsenal were unable to net a winner against Sean Dyche's men as their hopes of a top six finish took another major blow.
It's now likely that for Mikel Arteta's men to secure European football next season, Arsenal will need to win the Europa League.
That challenge continues on Thursday when they face Olympiacos and Partey has told his teammates to cut out the needless errors when on top in games.
"We have to know that it's a game of 90 minutes," Partey explained. "Sometimes you concede a goal in the beginning of the game you don't have to go down, you have to fight because every goal is important in these stages which are more important.
"We have to learn from that. And also don't give any chances to the opponent when we are in control."
Since his £45million signing, Partey has played alongside Mohamed Elneny and Xhaka in midfield, with the Ghana international heaping praise on the latter.
"I think he's a great player. We all know he works hard for the club he works hard for the mates when he's on the pitch," he added.
"As we all know in football you never know when you are going to have a bad game and it's part of it.
"We have to keep raising each other keep, fighting for each other and that's how we are going to have a good game and win matches."
Despite the gaffe against the Clarets, Arteta has confirmed that his players will continue to play out from the back, as it adheres to one of their main principles.
© PAArsenal will continue to play out from the back according to Arteta, despite Xhaka's glaring error
"I will always do that as long as we, all the time, follow our principles and the rules that we have," the Arsenal boss told reporters.
"It's the way we play, when we decide when to play, when not to play, the type of football we have to play with the right distances, the right feet. If not, we don't play.
"Without the right structure, you don't play. It's too risky. It's what you gain from the risks that are there, and the rewards have to much bigger than the risks.
"When it's not, you don't have to play. If it's a no-play zone, you don't have to play."
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