West Ham midfielder Jack Wilshere praises Arsenal season

West Ham midfielder Jack Wilshere believes his former club Arsenal have had a 'good' season despite almost certainly missing out on a top-four Premier League finish.

A disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Brighton on Sunday in the penultimate game of the season left Unai Emery's side four points behind third-place Chelsea and three back from Tottenham, who crucially hold a vastly superior goal difference.

Arsenal can still qualify for next season's Champions League by winning the Europa League, with the winners of their semi-final with Valencia set to face Chelsea or Eintracht Frankfurt in the final.

"They obviously had a few opportunities to cement their place in there, but it wasn't to be," said Wilshere, who left Arsenal last summer 10 years after making his professional debut for the club.

"But they've still got the Europa League, and that's another way in if they don't get in via the top four.

"But I think they've had a good year. I think they'll be happy, the fans will be happy, and hopefully they can win the Europa League and end with a trophy."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Arsenal had appeared well set for a top-four finish as they held third place a matter of weeks ago, but four games without a win saw Chelsea and Spurs both leapfrog them.

Wilshere, meanwhile, had made just seven appearances in his first season with West Ham, with the injury problems he suffered throughout his Arsenal career continuing to blight him.

The 27-year-old has returned to feature in two of West Ham's last three games, and is hoping to carry his fitness into next season.

"It's been tough, it's been frustrating," Wilshere said.

"To pick up an injury was frustrating, but I know better than anyone what it takes to come back, and I've worked hard to come back and obviously got some more minutes at the weekend.

"I'm just taking it step-by-step, looking forward to each game as it comes. I wanted to come back before the end of the season just for my head and my confidence and to prove that I can come back."

Wilshere was speaking at the launch of his Academy for girls, which joins his already established setup for boys.

Play Super 6

Predict 6 correct scores for your chance to win £250K.