Gunners desperate to avoid Hammer blow

ARSENE Wenger’s claim that Arsenal’s draw with Manchester City could prove a turning point in their season will be tested when West Ham United visit the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday

The under-fire Arsenal manager, who has yet to reveal whether he will sign a new contract with the Gunners when his current deal expires at the end of the season, declared himself satisfied with the character shown by his side in twice recovering after falling a goal behind to City.

But a solitary point left the Gunners in sixth position, seven points adrift of the Champions League places although they do have a game in hand on City who lie fourth.

Arsenal have qualified for the Champions League in every full season that Wenger has been manager of the north London club since the Frenchman’s arrival in 1996. But that proud record is under threat, with Gunners striker Danny Welbeck telling Arsenal. com: “At this point in the season and in the position we’re in, we know it’s not good enough for us as a club.

“We want to be further up the league. It wouldn’t have been good for us to lose three points again (against City), so we’ve dropped two. It’s something we’re going to have to build on in the next game.”

The England international added: “We obviously want to build on our performances. The position in the league that we’re in at the moment is not good enough. It’s something we really want to improve on, so that’s what’s on our minds for the next game.”

And Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi said: “We still believe that we can be in the top four, and that we can be in the title race as much as we can, but we’ll take it step by step and see where we end up at the end of the season.

“We just came back from the international break and our confidence is slowly coming back. We were able to get a good result against one of the best teams in the Premier League, so the confidence will slowly come back and we have to continue that on Wednesday.”

Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny is a doubt for Wednesday’s London derby after being forced out of the City game at half-time.

WestHam’sSlavenBilicisanother manager feeling the pressure after a run of six games without a win, the last four of which have ended in defeat including Saturday’s loss at relegation-threatened Hull City. — AFP