ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger, like Sam Allardyce, under fire for fielding a weakened side in the Worthington Cup, has called for the UEFA Cup place awarded to the winners of the Cup to be given to the Premiership instead.

Wenger has fielded second-string sides in the competition every season, and did the same at Blackburn last night even though it was the quarter-finals.

Matt Jansen's excellent hat-trick settled matters in front of a half-full Ewood Park - even fewer turned up than in the previous round against Manchester City - and Wenger raised the question again of whether the cup winners should join Europe's elite.

He said: "I would give one more place to the championship because it's more difficult to play in the championship.

"As long as there is a European place at stake we want to play in the competition but if you ask me what my priority would be, I think it is much more difficult to finish fifth or sixth in the league.

"For me it is very important to see some players at this level, and the fact there is a European place in this competition is the only other advantage I can see."

Arsenal hardly managed a shot on target while Mark Hughes scored Blackburn's other goal, and there could have been more for Rovers with Damien Duff hitting a post.