Emery wants Gunners to cure travel sickness

Unai Emery believes the mentality of his Arsenal players needs to improve if they are to address their constant failings away from home in the Premier League.

The Gunners have won four games on the road so far since the Spaniard took charge last summer and have struggled away from the Emirates Stadium for some time.

With just 17 away wins out of the 50 games played since August 2016, the issue has been something Emery would have been keen to resolve when he replaced Arsene Wenger.

A trip to rock-bottom Huddersfield hands Arsenal a chance to win their away first league game in six, a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend the latest bout of travel sickness.

“Maybe both,” Emery replied when asked if poor away form was due to tactical or mental reasons.

“It can be… at the end, the reason we didn’t take the same balance as we have shown at home.

“I spoke with the players (and told them) we need to think this match is very important for us and every player needs to be ready, be focused and be thinking we need to win this match.

“Imposing ourselves from the first minute, and throughout the 90 minutes, our capacity against them – but first is the mentality.

“For us, tactically, is the second issue. The first is to think we need to win and after it’s how we can win this match – (in terms of ) preparing tactically and individually.”

A 2-1 win at Bournemouth on November 25 was the last time Emery’s side took three points on the road – and he wants that to be addressed at struggling Huddersfield.

Asked if the Terriers’ own poor form meant this game was must-win, Emery replied: “Yes.

“We started very well away, changing our mentality, but now we need to recover this confidence, to recover this performance and the next opportunity is tomorrow against Huddersfield.

“But it is difficult. These matches are difficult and they are playing for the possibility to continue in the Premier League.”