Arsenal FC manager Unai Emery believes his charges can still finish in the top four despite their Sunday defeat at the hands of Everton.
Phil Jagielka’s 10th-minute goal at Goodison Park on Sunday condemned the Gunners to their first defeat in seven Premier League matches.
Fifth place beckons if London rivals Chelsea avoid defeat at home to West Ham on Monday and Arsenal could come to rue their lackluster effort on Merseyside with the race for Champions League qualification intensifying.
“We knew it was going to be difficult and that we are going to have to take opportunities like today,” Emery said.
“We lost a great opportunity today to take three points. We will have more chances in the next matches. It depends on us and also on other teams.
“We need to be consistent in 38 matches but we lost that consistency today. We need to be consistent in the next matches and if we do that we can win.
“We can be negative because we lost three points, but it’s in our hands to continue to take chances to be in the top four.”
A point would have been enough to overtake Tottenham in third but the visitors failed to match Everton’s enthusiasm in an extension of the away woes that have produced just six points from the last 27 available on the road.