SEAGULLS WARNED TO GET READY FOR SCRAP
Emirates in December and Chelsea 2-0 last month.
“They were very important moments in our season and now there is another important moment coming on Saturday,” he said.
“I do not want the players to think they are under pressure from me. I do want them to know what I demand from them – the ambition to finish in the top four.”
Gunners entertain top-four rivals Manchester United in mid-March and have a farfrom demanding run-in after that.
Emery claimed Matteo Guendouzi’s summer decision to put his new club before country has helped him quickly become an Arsenal favourite.
The big-haired midfielder turned down a return to his former club Paris SaintGermain to join in a £7million deal from French side Lorient last July.
He opted to miss the UEFA Under-19 Championships in Sweden to go on the pre-season tour to Singapore and he established himself in the first team by the start of the Premier League season.
Emery said of the 19-year-old: “The first impression from him is very good. We saw this from the first weeks of pre-season when he arrived here and started training.
“It was a very big decision not to play with the national team in the summer. He wanted to stay and work with us to show his capacity in pre-season. He adapted very quickly and has made very good progress.” Amex Stadium: 5.30pm
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ASHLEY WESTWOOD claims Burnley aim to drag Brighton right into the relegation mire. Burnley would move level on points with the Seagulls if they beat them today, and Chris Hughton’s side are rocking after going five league games without a victory. Westwood (above) said the Clarets, who sit just above the drop zone, want to involve as many teams as possible in the scrap for survival.
“Yeah, it’s a big game,” said the former Aston Villa midfielder. “Brighton have had a good season, but they have fallen away a bit of late.
“We want to drag as many teams as possible into the mix and this is another chance to do that.
“If we win at their place it brings them into it, and it’s going to be a good battle down at this end of the table.
“We said right at the start of the season that you have the so-called big six and then it’s a battle for everyone else.
“We have put a run tougher but we are still in the relegation scrap, so we just need to keep going.” AFTER Peter Crouch had a sausage created for him by a Burnley butcher, Brighton boss Chris Hughton has laughed off suggestions Glenn Murray could get a vegan version!
Seagulls favourite Murray,
35, (right) scored twice as a sub in Wednesday’s 3-1 FA Cup replay win at West Brom, taking his tally to 12 for the term.
Now the striker faces Burnley just one short of Westwood reckons Burnley’s confidence has grown on the back of their six-game unbeaten run in the league, and they are the only side to deny Manchester United victory under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Sean Dyche’s men look more like their old more resolute selves and Westwood says they have gone back to basics.
“We’re on a nice unbeaten run at the minute and long may that continue,” said Westwood, who is enjoying his best form for the Clarets.
“Everyone’s saying we’re getting back to the real Burnley way.
It’s tough when you’re down there, but that turnaround has brought a lot of confidence back and we’re doing what we’re good at again.
“We know what we’re about. We are what we are.
“We work hard, we can mix it up a bit and we’re showing that a lot more.” 50 goals in his second spell there. So, there’s no doubt he deserves a Crouch-style name after ‘Crouchies Red Hot Robot’ sausage hit the headlines. What better than vegan in trendy, falafelloving Brighton for a man who has cut meat to stay fit? “Maybe it’s a good idea but I’m not quite sure I can see it,” said Hughton. “Perhaps we should ask the fish and chip shops!”