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Football London
Football London
Sport
James Benge

Unai Emery reveals the two signs of progress firing Arsenal towards a top four finish

Unai Emery insists Arsenal have the mentality to compete away from home as he looks to reverse the Gunners' disastrous road form.

Arsenal have won only five of 15 away matches this season, three against the sides currently in the relegation zone, and since the start of 2018 have not beaten a side currently in the top half of the Premier League.

Four of Arsenal's final six Premier League games this season will be away from home, starting with a visit to Watford on Monday. On their last trip to Vicarage Road the Gunners were beaten 2-1, a match after which Hornets captain Troy Deeney questioned whether his opponents had the "cojones" to compete.

Arsenal's plan to show Troy Deeney they really do have the 'cojones' to beat Watford  

Questions of mental fortitude have long dogged Arsenal and Emery was forced to respond to them after a tame 1-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday, a display that stood in stark contrast to the home game four days later, a stunning 2-0 win over Italian powerhouses Napoli in the Europa League quarter-final first leg.

However Emery sees signs of progress in his squad, who would be guaranteed a top four finish and Champions League qualification if they win all their remaining league games.

Aaron Ramsey celebrates scoring Arsenal's first goal against Napoli at Emirates Stadium (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

"I think we are showing we are competitive and have a good mentality," he said. "Our mentality, we need to continue improving with a process.

"This team have a good mentality and they are improving, we are improving and the table is giving us this answer - we are improving.

"We can see two things, one is the amazing response at home, big matches and big results and away we are doing sometimes good matches.

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"We are playing some matches and being competitive but in other moments the opposition, they are being more competitive than us and they battle us but each match is a new challenge and response for us - starting Monday."

Emery has not shied away from pointing out how tough a start he endured to his Arsenal career - back-to-back defeats in games against Manchester City and Chelsea as the season began had his side 17th in the table after the opening weekend.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sends a warning over Arsenal's new turning point under Unai Emery  

The Spaniard arrived with a mandate to take Arsenal back into the Champions League and he is convinced his team are on course to achieve just that.

"For us that would be a big success," Emery said. "When we started last in the table after the first two matches in the season we were thinking about arriving in this moment with the possibility of being in the top four in our hands."

Emery's Ramsey delight and Torreira's transfer message - Arsenal talking points from Napoli win  

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