UNAI: TIME TO RAISE OUR GAME

UNAI EMERY claims Arsenal need to improve in every department before they can consider themselves top-four material.

The Gunners will extend their unbeaten run to 17 games if they avoid defeat at Bournemouth tomorrow – and are only three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. But Emery (above) is demanding even better as he plots a return to the Champions League slots.

He said: “Are we playing as well as the top four? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We need more. If we want to be in the top four, we need to improve things.

“The performances are not bad in the last matches.

“But Bournemouth is another test – a big test. They are behind us and we need to win to be closer to the top four.

“What needs to improve? Everything. Tactically, don’t concede so many chances to the opposition.

“Improve in scoring, find the possibility with different players.

“We need also to arrive with the ball in the opposition box with the balance for recovery when we lose the ball. We have just had a meeting to speak about that.”

Bournemouth is the first of five games in 13 gruelling days during a packed schedule for Emery and he admits he will have to rotate to keep Arsenal on track.

They travel to Ukraine to take on Vorskla Poltava on Thursday ahead of next Sunday’s North London derby with Tottenham, and then face Manchester United at Old Trafford and Huddersfield. Emery said: “This is my first experience of not stopping for Christmas.

“We prepare with different players each match. Maybe we are going to make changes to give other players a possibility, knowing they can give us big performances.”