Arsenal need luck, consistency for treble – Wenger

Arsenal are capable of challenging for the treble this season if they are at their best, according to Arsene Wenger.

Wenger’s men are through to the fifth round of the FA Cup, which they have won the past two seasons, and still in contention in the Premier League and Champions League.

The Gunners sit three points behind league leaders Leicester City ahead of the visit of Southampton to Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Wenger believes his team are good enough to contend for three trophies this season, but only if they reach their optimum level.

“It is difficult to compete on three fronts. If you ask me is it possible to win on three fronts, it is a little bit different,” the Frenchman said.

“Exceptionally, it can happen, but you need not to have any bad injuries and to have a basis of a team who can repeat performances.

“Maybe to be above everyone else, like Bayern [Munich] were, like Barcelona were last year. It is difficult. Maybe in Spain even more because they play two legs in the cup.

“Sometimes it is important to give [players] a breather, just to recharge, more mentally than physically.

“If you play game after game sometimes you are just not fresh enough mentally. Physically you can cope with it.”

Arsenal were humbled when they last met Southampton, slumping to a 4-0 defeat at St Mary’s on December 26.

Wenger said mental fatigue played its part in that surprising loss.

“I felt on the day we did not have the mental energy. We put a lot in,” he said.

“It was Christmas, we always go to Southampton at the Christmas period. We got caught by a team that was full of desire.”