Arsenal duo Lukas Podolski and Mikel Arteta have expressed how important it is that the club finish above Everton in the race for a top-four finish.
The Gunners have been competing for the title all season, but after a horror March, they know face a tricky task in finishing in a Champions League spot due to the impressive form of Roberto Martinez’s Everton.
Everton are now two points ahead of Arsenal in the race for fourth, and vice-captain Arteta, knows that his side must win all their remaining five games if they want to finish fourth.
“I think it’s still there for us. There’s still a long way to go – there’s four weeks until the end of the season.
“I believe we can do it, but we need to win all our remaining championship games. If we don’t, then I don’t think we will do it.
“It’s about confidence and it builds a bit of enthusiasm. The cup final gives us something to look forward to at the end of the season because on Tuesday there is another massive game coming up.
“We will have to see what we have available because we lost a few players as well. Let’s see what we’ve got, prepare for the game the best way we can because West Ham will be tough opponents again.
“It’s not just the 120 minutes, it’s the pressure, the stress, trying to give everything because it’s massive for us. We had to give everything.
“You have some tough moments and I don’t know of any team in the world who win a competition who don’t go through a difficult moment in that competition.
“We went through the most difficult moment in this season’s FA Cup even though we’ve already played Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton and now Wigan.
“We have a lot of young players who I hope will be back soon! I hope they will be back nice and fresh. But on Tuesday we need everyone back and fit because that game is so important.”
Arteta’s team-mates, Lukas Podolski also backed up Arteta by claiming the club HAVE to win the FA Cup and also HAVE to avoid the disaster of finishing outside the top-four.
Podolski said: “Every season is a pressure when you don’t win anything and the newspapers speak about it, the fans gets nervous but we have the chance this year to win the FA Cup so maybe it helps the club, us and the boss.
“But the other important thing is to get fourth place back because when you don’t play in the Champions League, it’s a disaster.
“Last season was the same. People and the newspapers speak about the last trophy being 2005 so of course, the pressure is there because we were in the semi-final and we have this chance to win the cup.
“We are now in the final and of course we want the cup, but the other important thing is the league. We don’t forget that because we are fifth now, so it’s important to get fourth place back.
“But as I say, the important thing is the league as well. We don’t forget the league because we are fifth now, we are not qualified for the Champions League, so we must do our work on the pitch – starting on Tuesday and this is an important thing.
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
