Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal need ‘exceptional consistency’ to qualify for Champions League

The Gunners failed to pick up a single point in the month of January but a 7-1 win over Blackburn has kept him optimistic

8 Feb 2012 18:22:00

By George Ankers

More On :  Arsenal FC, Arsène Wenger
Arsen Wenger - Arsenal
Arsen Wenger - Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits that his side will need to show “exceptional consistency” to finish in the Premier League top four this season.

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The Gunners are three points behind Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification, with Newcastle also currently standing between them and a place at European football’s top table, but the French boss remains optimistic after watching his side demolish Blackburn 7-1 on Saturday.

“We had a good week last week. We had a good result against Aston Villa and a good performance against Bolton,” Wenger told the club’s official website, referring to his side’s FA Cup comeback victory and 0-0 league draw, respectively.

“We had the same number of chances [against Bolton] that we had against Blackburn but we scored on Saturday.

“We still have real hope that we can finish the season the strongest. We have a good spirit and desire within the group - and we have quality.

“We know that with the position we are in we need an exceptional consistency, so that is the challenge we have in front of us at Sunderland [on Saturday].”

The Gunners are set to begin a series of key fixtures in their hunt to retain their top-four status, with an away trip to Martin O’Neill’s in-form Wearsiders to be followed against the Premier League’s third, sixth and fifth-placed sides in Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle.

That run of consecutive tests will be punctuated by the two legs of Arsenal’s Champions League first knockout round match against AC Milan.

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