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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is confident the Gunners will beat Chelsea in a Premier League tie at the Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Recall that the Gunners have only managed a win in their last five league games since Arteta became the manager, leaving them 10 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
In the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium, Chelsea came back from a goal down to claim a 1-2 win over Arteta’s Arsenal but the Spaniard is optimistic his men can emerge winners on Tuesday and rekindle their hopes of a Champions League berth.
“It’s very, very important for us to win this game to fight for that [Champions League berth],” said Arteta in his pre-match press conference on Monday. “The game we played at home, it could have made a big difference and we were very close to it. Tomorrow we need to win.”
He added: “Everyone is having a lot of problems to put together back-to-back wins, the league has been very competitive this season and that is why the gaps aren’t that big.
“There are still four months to play and a lot of things can happen, a lot of games between the top teams as well so I think that will change.”
While the Gunners have conceded late goals in their last two league matches – against Crystal Palace and Sheffield United – the former Everton man believes they have to do much in that area.
“I think it’s part of game management,” said Arteta. “I think there are things that we could have done better there to put more pressure on the opponent, to bring the ball into certain areas where we can rest with the ball and we can control the game better.
“That will come, it’s a good process for us as well to learn about those situations.”