Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confessed that his side have braced themselves for the remainder of the season and know exactly what it will take for them to finish in the top four. The Gunners last played in the Champions League more than four years ago and have struggled to reach that mark since.

Arsenal’s struggles over the last half decade have been well documented with the Gunners struggling to challenge not just for the league title but for a top four place as well. So much so, that they finished off the Europa Conference League spots last term. However, that has offered them a chance to challenge for a top four place this season with them currently four points off fourth place Manchester United.

But Arsenal have three games in hand over the Red Devils and thus are in with a chance of making the cut for the Champions League next season. It will be a tough test though as the Gunners haven’t played in the Champions League for more than five years and Mikel Arteta admitted that the rest of their season will be a “rollercoaster”. He also added that the players know what they need to do which is fight until the end.

“I think it’s going to be a bit of a rollercoaster. There are moments when a team opens a gap and then (others) catch up. You see the fixtures we all have to play and they’re extremely tricky,” Arteta said, reported Sky Sports.

“(The players) know what every game means for us. We know where we are. That race is going to be right until the end. There are a lot of clubs involved. You see different results than expected. Points at home will be crucial.”