LONDON, April 14 -- Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal that fatigue is no excuse for their damaging stumble as he urged his side to hit back by finishing off Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Chasing a second successive appearance in the semi-finals of Europe's elite club competition, Arsenal host Sporting on Wednesday with a 1-0 lead from last week's first-leg win in Lisbon.

But the Gunners go into the second leg in the midst of a bout of soul searching after losing three of their last four games in all competitions.

Arsenal's untimely dip cost them two chances for silverware as Manchester City won 2-0 in the League Cup final and second tier Southampton knocked them out of the FA Cup quarter-finals.

As if...