Wenger confident Arsenal can still claim top-four finish
(Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Tuesday his side remain in the race for a top-four Premier League finish despite the recent slump in form and will look to ensure a positive end to the season.
The North London side, who are sixth in the league and trail fourth-placed Manchester City by seven points, will seek their first victory in four games when they host 14th-placed West Ham United on Wednesday.
Arsenal have never finished outside top-four under Wenger, who sees increased importance in finishing with one of the four Champions League qualification spots this season.
"It's a good challenge but I think it's certainly possible," Wenger told a news conference. "For 20 years I have done it and it looked nothing. Suddenly now it's important and people realise it is not as easy as it looked.
"We are fighting to have a positive end of season. That’s why you want the fans to stand behind the team."
Wenger said defender Laurent Koscielny, who was substituted at half-time during 2-2 draw with Man City on Sunday, suffered an Achilles injury and is set to have a scan later on Tuesday.
"It (the injury) is serious," said Wenger. "If he has ruptured the fibres then he could be out for a few weeks, if not, he could be available to face Crystal Palace. I will tell you more tomorrow."
Defender Per Mertesacker and midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey return from injury layoff and could feature against West Ham.
Arsenal suffered their first home defeat in eight years when Slaven Bilic's side won 2-0 at the Emirates last season.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; editing by Mark Heinrich)