Real Madrid await yet Premier League top four is priority: Three Things We Learned after Arsenal eased into Champions League last eight 

Here are three things that stood out for me, writes Ian Mills

1 - Real Madrid await yet Premier League top four is priority

– The quarter final has thrown up a supremely attractive clash with the Spanish giants, however we have three Premier League games to play before the first leg.

Whatever assertions Arteta gives to the contrary, we all know that our title race is run, it is now a matter of staying in the top four to secure Champions League football next season.

We face one of our direct opponents in that contest next in Chelsea before heading into the international break.

Reaching the Champions League last eight for a second consecutive season is not for everyone – just ask Liverpool.

We need to take the confidence gained from that into our league fixtures.

2 - Raheem Sterling shows up at last

- Raheem Sterling gets a rare chance to shine as we ease into the Champions League quarter-finals.

After being critical of him more than once in this column it is only right and proper that I acknowledge what was comfortably his best performance to date in a Arsenal shirt (accepting that is a pretty low bar so far).

He created both Alex Zinchenko’s fine early goal and a then a sumptuous cross to allow Rice to head home for his second goal in as many games. He probably should have had a goal of his own too but failed to lift the ball sufficiently over Benitez in the PSV goal.

However, he did finish with the man of the match award and hopefully this will help to restore the confidence that has clearly been lacking since his move from West London.

With Gabi Martinelli just back from injury and Bukayo Saka due to return in April, we are going to need all of our squad to contribute as much as possible between now and the end of the season.

3 - A good chance to rotate

– Mikel Arteta has shown his reluctance in previous games to make wholesale changes yet given that this tie was effectively won in the Netherlands, this was clearly a match where he could bring in several fringe players.

While we only have one more game to play until April, our first team has played a heavy burden of matches recently so a chance to rest up and get themselves ready for a tough assignment this Sunday will have been greatly received.

Ben White would have enjoyed a chance of a first start since November whilst the aforementioned Zinchenko and Sterling both impressed.

Less impressive were Jorginho and Jakub Kiwor yet when your chances to start are so limited it is somewhat understandable that mistakes will happen.