Former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb says the Gunners should consider focusing their attentions on the Europa League, in order to get back into the Champions League next season.

“Arsenal could do what Manchester United did,” Hleb tells The Independent. “They should be aiming to win every competition, which they are capable of doing. The Europa League offers another opportunity for them to qualify for the Champions League. If the chance presents itself, they should go for it.”

The ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’, as he was affectionately nicknamed at Stuttgart for his famed dribbling ability, will be paying particular attention to Arsenal’s trip to Bate Borisov on Thursday, another of his former clubs, where he spent four separate spells as a player.

Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Petr Cech - 7 out of 10 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion shoots past Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal is faced by Hal Robson-Kanu and Kieran Gibbs of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Hal Robson-Kanu of West Bromwich Albion and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Nacho Monreal - 8 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Nacho Monreal of Arsenal clears the ball from the goal line during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Hector Bellerin - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Tony Pulis, Manager of West Bromwich Albion shouts as Hector Bellerin of Arsenal take a throw in during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Mohamed Elneny - 6 West Bromwich Albion's English midfielder Gareth Barry (L) vies with Arsenal's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Granit Xhaka - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on September 17, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Sead Kolasinac - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Sead Kolasinac of Arsenal controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League group H match between Arsenal FC and 1. FC Koeln at Emirates Stadium on September 14, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Aaron Ramsey - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is challenged by goalkeeper Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Alexis Sanchez - 8 Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez reacts during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Alexandre Lacazette - 9 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal heads past Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion as he scores their first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Ben Foster - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is challenged by goalkeeper Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Craig Dawson - 5 BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Craig Dawson of West Bromwich Albion looks on during the pre season friendly match between Burton Albion and West Bromwich Albion at Pirelli Stadium on July 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal and Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi of West Bromwich Albion chase the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. 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(Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jake Livermore - 6 West Bromwich Albion's English midfielder Jake Livermore (L) vies with Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Grzegorz Krychowiak - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Grzegorz Krychowiak of West Bromwich Albion is chased by Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Gareth Barry - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Gareth Barry of West Bromwich Albion is faced by Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. Gareth Barry is making a record 633rd Premier League appearance. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Kieran Gibbs - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Kieran Gibbs of West Bromwich Albion beats Hector Bellerin of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jay Rodriguez - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion shoots past Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Hal Robson-Kanu - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Hal Robson-Kanu of West Bromwich Albion and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images

“I am a neutral for this game. Arsenal are truly in my heart and Bate Borisov is where I began to develop and play internationally for the youth teams, which is how I was scouted for my move to Stuttgart.”

In the opening round of fixtures, which also marked Arsenal’s first European fixture outside of the Champions League since the 1999-2000 season, they beat FC Köln 3-1. Kick-off was delayed by an hour as the 20,000 away supporters, desperate to see their club play in Europe for the first time in two decades, flooded the home sections of the Emirates Stadium and ultimately created an atmosphere to remember. While perhaps not on the same scale, the size of the spectacle in Belarus on Thursday promises to create another buoyant mood.

“The Bate players will want to play well against Arsenal and show how good they are. People here [in Belarus] are very excited for the game, it’s all that everyone is talking about,” he adds. “There will be Arsenal fans coming from London but I think half the stadium will actually be Belarusian Arsenal fans, because so many people here love the club. Everybody wants to see this game.

“It will of course be a big atmosphere [in the Borisov Arena]. Based on my time with Arsene Wenger, I know he will keep giving chances to the younger players. Who knows what will happen? Maybe they will find the atmosphere difficult to deal with. If it was the first team, who are used to playing in front of big crowds every week, then you would expect them to handle it. With the younger players, you never know.”

That said, he expects the away side to prove too much to handle for the Belarusian champions. “Arsenal, of course, are the favourites to qualify [from group H], along with FC Köln, but the other two teams in the group are also good. Earlier this month, it was an interesting game between Red Star Belgrade and Bate Borisov, who are evenly matched teams, and I think everyone really enjoyed watching it. Red Star perhaps have a bit more quality but Bate play with a more disciplined style.”

It is that same regimented setup which he expects the home team to adopt on matchday two, against Wenger’s free-flowing side. “It will be very difficult for Bate to take any points from this game. They will look to stick to their disciplined system, make it hard for Arsenal to break them down and try to play on the counter attack.”

Free agent Hleb, who last played for Krylia Sovetov Samara in the Russian Premier League, feels that despite Arsenal’s stuttering start to the season, they remain on course to achieve good things. The north London outfit have won just three of their opening six Premier League fixtures, but their recent draw away with champions Chelsea and win over West Bromwich Albion is cause for some optimism.

Hleb played for the Gunners in the Champions League (Getty)

“It’s so early in the season. Every team, at this stage, can still fight for the Premier League. It won’t be easy but Arsenal can do it. Every team is strong but if Arsenal are motivated and fight for it, they can do well,” says Hleb. “The league is so unpredictable. It wasn’t the ideal start but Arsenal have looked good in recent matches. I hope the team continues to get better and I believe they will”.

Many Arsenal fans would argue that the team would have a greater chance of Premier League glory had they added more quality in the summer transfer window. Hleb adds that the club’s summer business was “good”, but that they are fighting a losing battle trying to keep up with the world’s biggest spenders.

“Football is a crazy world now. The market is crazy, there is just so much money involved. Arsenal would have wanted to sign more players but it’s too difficult to compete with the likes of Manchester City and PSG. The signings that did come through are good, like Alexandre Lacazette, but I can’t say that’s a ‘fantastic’ signing. I am a fan of Giroud and I don’t think Lacazette is better than him. I think the two are on the same level.”

He also acknowledges the uncertainty around Alexis Sanchez’s future, which he feels created a predicament for the club during the summer. “Arsenal found themselves in a very difficult situation with Sanchez. On one side, if he doesn’t want to play for the team you could say it would have been better to sell him for good money.

“On the other hand, he’s such an important player for Arsenal and is a leader. I have seen him play this season [against FC Köln and Chelsea] and he still fights, gives his best and scores goals. He looked professional rather than angry that he didn’t get his move to Manchester City.” While many assume that this will be Sanchez’s last season at Arsenal, Hleb says it is not a foregone conclusion.