Arsene Wenger insists his team selection is based on what is best for club

The Gunners boss has been picking two different sides to compete in the Premier League and Europa League so far this season.

The likes of Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Mohamed Elneny have mostly featured in Europe but been left on the sidelines in the battle for a top four finish in the league.

Wilshere, Walcott and Giroud have all spoken about their frustration at a lack of game time in the Premier League - with France striker Giroud currently being picked for his country as the England duo look like missing out on the World Cup at this moment.

But even Giroud, who is yet to start a league game this season, has been warned by Les Bleus assistant manager Guy Stephan that he needs to play more - even if Wenger feels the 31-year-old has had ample opportunity so far this campaign.

"They have to make their decisions, I have to make mine," Wenger said of international managers.

"I cannot consider too much the interest of the national team, even if I support France. I can only play with 11 players and the players have to deal with that and so do I.

"Overall I try to give them competition, which is what they have had until now. But these are discussions I have had with the players. It's part of it."

Wenger has been able to keep everyone relatively involved in first team matters due to Europa League commitments.

But that will change after Thursday's final Group H game at home to BATE Borisov as, with Arsenal already assured of progressing as group winners, the competition will not be back on the calendar until February.

"It is anyway difficult to keep them happy," Wenger said when asked if it would be more difficult to do so with a lack of European games in the coming months.

"You cannot keep players happy, but they deal well with it and it's a problem we all have to deal with.

"As a player, they fight and I must say this is a job where you always have to be ready. When you are called up you have to be ready.

"Some manage to do it, some not. In the squad, this season more than ever, I cannot see a weakness in anyone's motivation and quality in training.

"That doesn't mean that the players who do not play, you respect them less. You respect people through their attitude and their attitude is fantastic."

Wenger also confirmed new deals for players out of contract in 2019 are being worked on.

The likes of Aaron Ramsey, Giroud and Walcott are among those with less than 18 months remaining and the club are looking to avoid a similar scenario to this season where Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez appear to be running down their deals so they can leave for free in the summer.