Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has sent Gunners boss Unai Emery a warning that anything below the top-four would be considered a failed season.
The Spaniard took charge of Arsenal at the start of the last term and led the team to a Europa League final and a fifth place finish in the Premier League.
This season the three-time Europa League winner has implemented his ideas with signings such as Dani Ceballos and Nicolas Pepe.
Despite Ceballos’ promising start, Arsenal's record signing Pepe has not lived up to the hype that he brought with him to the Emirates.
And Parlour, speaking on talkSPORT, conceded that not a lot has changed since the final years of Arsene Wenger and reiterated the fans and board are expecting more.
He said: “No, it’s not better [than when Wenger was in charge], but it is a real opportunity.
“After we started really well during the start of the season, people were going: “Oh we can challenge for the title”, and I said no chance!
“If they come fourth, it’s a great season. Champions League football is the most important thing for Arsenal now going forward.
“If they come fifth or sixth this year it has been a failure again. Because they went into the transfer market and I think everyone was quite excited about the signings.”
Arsenal face Crystal Palace at home next in the Premier League on Sunday but before that they face Portuguese opposition in Vitoria SC in the Europa League.
