Szczesny eyes more ugly wins for Arsenal in battle for fourth spot

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is hopeful the team's previous experience of tight Premier League run-ins can help them scrape four more ugly victories and another season of Champions League football.

The North London club's title challenge was smashed off course by a 6-0 humiliation at Chelsea last month and a 3-0 defeat by Everton over a week ago put the Merseyside club in pole position to take the fourth Champions League spot.

But Arsenal returned to winning ways on Tuesday with a 3-1 success over West Ham United to regain fourth with Everton slumping to a surprise 3-2 home defeat by Crystal Palace on Wednesday to put the Gunners back in charge of their destiny.

Arsenal failed to hit the heady style heights set at the start of the season in the win over their London rivals, but Szczesny was not fussed.

"I will take four or five more games like that until the end of the season," the Polish goalkeeper told.

"As long as we get three points, it does not have to be beautiful."

Arsenal have 67 points from their 34 matches with Everton only a point back and with a superior goal difference but tougher matches against Southampton, Manchester City and United to come.

Arsenal next face Hull City away on Sunday then entertain Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion before finishing their campaign at Norwich City.

CUP FINAL

They then face Hull again in the FA Cup final hoping to win a first trophy since they lifted the famous trophy in 2005 but Szczesny said the league matches were just as important as the Wembley date.

"Every game is like a cup final for us now and we know we have to get the result every time and wait for Everton to drop points," he said prior to Everton's loss to Palace.

"In the Premier League, we had not won in four games so it was important to get back to winning ways.

"Before the four disappointing results we had recently, we were still in the title race. So it has slipped away from us but it is important for us to fight for the new challenge, which is the top four now. We are confident we are going to do the job."

Arsenal have played in the Champions League for 16 consecutive seasons but have come increasingly closer to missing out.

Last season, only a strong late run saw them edge rivals Tottenhan Hotspur for fourth, while they needed a nail-biting 3-2 win at West Brom in the previous campaign to ensure a passage through to the lucrative European competition.

"Hopefully the experience of fighting and having good run-ins over the last couple of seasons can help us get through again," Szczesny said.