Vermaelen convinced Arsenal will claim top-four finish

Posted Sunday, March 11, 2012 by Goal.com

Thomas Vermaelen is convinced Arsenal will claim a top-four spot come the end of the season.

After a tumultuous season in terms of form, the Gunners have turned the corner of late with vital victories over fellow top-four rivals Tottenham and Liverpool in their last two outings.

If Arsenal increase that run to three wins against sixth-placed Newcastle on Monday, they will close the gap to third-placed Spurs to just one point and move three clear of fifth-placed Chelsea.

Vermaelen believes a victory against Alan Pardew's charges will go a long way to securing Champions League football for next season.

"We had some good results against Tottenham and Liverpool and if we can play the way we did against AC Milan then I am not worried if we will be top four or not," the defender told the club’s official website.

"If we play that way then we can beat any team. The thing is you have to be consistent and that is not easy in football.

"Newcastle are close behind us of course, but we have a few contenders there. Chelsea are still there, Newcastle and Liverpool.

"They [Liverpool] are 10 points behind now with a game in hand but they are all there and we have to be on the top of our game to fight for fourth and maybe third place, you never know. We can have a lot of confidence after this week with a lot of victories.

"Of course, a club like Arsenal belongs in the Champions League and we will try to achieve that for the club, for the fans, for ourselves, for everybody. If we play the way we did in that first half on Tuesday then I am not worried about it at all."