Toothless Arsenal have failed to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1995. Back then, Bruce Rioch pinned his hopes on new boys Bergkamp and Platt and a year later the Arsene Wenger era began

So there we have it, Arsenal's doomed fate is all-but sealed after their disastrous Europa League exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday night.

With the Gunners desperately needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the semi-final second leg at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta's men produced another insipid display in what has been a nightmare season.

And defeat over two legs against Villarreal has left Arsenal on the brink of missing out on European football altogether for the first time since the 1995-96 season.

Arsenal, who languish in ninth in the Premier League with just four matches remaining, are now in huge danger of slipping further into mediocrity.