Gunners: We’ll be back next year

SALUTE ... Laurent Koscielny

ARSENAL'S heroes last night vowed "We'll be back" after their stirring display against AC Milan.

Laurent Koscielny insisted their efforts in coming so close to a historic result have made them all the more determined to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The French defender — whose seventh-minute goal sparked the Gunners' astonishing fightback — said: "We want to come back in the Premier League because we would like to play games like that again.

"Everyone fought together as team-mates so it's important to keep that going.

"We won against Spurs and Liverpool and although we have difficult games we are now determined to get the fourth place or maybe even third place.

"Everybody's dead tired but when we lost 4-0 in the first game it's always difficult to come back.

"But we gave everything on the pitch and in the end it was just one goal. At half-time we wanted to continue playing like that, we had opportunities in the second half, Robin van Persie had one but he doesn't score. That's life."

Ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith said: "They gave it absolutely everything.

"Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was instrumental in the first half and played so well. To beat Milan 3-0 is still a great achievement."

Fellow Sky pundit Ruud Gullit said: "They can be very proud, but in the end it was harsh. The most difficult thing was to keep up the tempo from the first half."

And ex-Liverpool star Graeme Souness added: "For an hour they were just fabulous.

"But they put so much into that they just ran out of steam. But what a great effort, the manager will be delighted."

Arsenal's display was also hailed by former skipper Cesc Fabregas.

The Barcelona star tweeted: "Very proud to be gooner in a day like today! That shows you what passion can do in the world of football... Arsenal fans were immense!"