Aaron Ramsey has backed Arsenal to secure qualification for next season’s Champions League ahead of their rivals Tottenham and Chelsea, with a win over Fulham on Saturday.
The Gunners go to Craven Cottage looking for a win that could send them five points clear of their north London rivals Spurs in third place. While Tottenham will have two games in hand, Arsenal can still make it hard for them in the fight for Europe’s premier competition.
Speaking to ITV after his team’s 0-0 draw with Everton last night, Ramsey said,
[quote]It is important (to get a five-point gap). We always knew this week was going to be a big one for us. We are still unbeaten in a load of games and hopefully we can finish the week off strongly by getting a win against Fulham. That will put us in a strong position. [/quote]
Arsenal didn’t have the best of times in their game against Everton at the Emirates last night, with Arsene Wenger complaining about the Toffee’s apparent heavy-handed tactics. “It was important for us not to lose against Everton. It didn’t happen for us in the final third, but overall we were quite solid. We’re looking forward to the weekend,” Ramsey commented.
The Welsh midfielder was optimistic about Arsenal’s chances of qualification, given that both Tottenham and Chelsea have difficult run-ins. He said, “Tottenham and Chelsea still have tough games. Teams are going to drop points and we are still positive and confident that we can finish in the top four.” “We are third at the moment and Chelsea and Tottenham may feel a bit of pressure going into their games to get the three points,” he added.
However, Ramsey was keen to point out that the players in the team would have to remain healthy before any hopes of finishing above their rivals could be realised, saying, “The squad is going to be important for us now. Hopefully everyone will stay fit and we can finish the job off.”
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