The Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, has called on his Arsenal squad to be "united" in the final six games of the season as they chase a Champions League place and a first trophy since 2005. Arsenal beat Wigan on Saturday to reach the FA Cup final and are two points behind Everton in the race for fourth.
Wenger, talking before Arsenal's Premier League game against West Ham United on Tuesday, said: "We can finish the season well – we can finish in the top four, we can win the FA Cup – so it's down to how united we will be until the end of the season, and focused together.
"It [five league victories] is the target. Do you need it? Nobody knows but the target is to win every game. We just want to not imagine the consequences of not doing it, what you want is just to focus on doing it.
"That is where we have the focus, the quality of the spirit, we have the desire and we are slowly getting our players back, so the squad is not [so] depleted any more. I believe that they [Everton] have difficult games and we have difficult games but we want to focus now on what we know we can do. We have a more complete squad and we want to win our games, no matter what Everton do. We want to finish in a strong way."
Wenger added that all thoughts of the return trip to Wembley on 17 May must be put aside to secure another shot at elite European football next season. "When you are in a semi-final and you win, it releases a little bit of pressure on the team but we want to bounce back in the Premier League," said Wenger, who has several players with minor fitness problems. "Therefore we want to finish strong, we have a battle with Everton and of course it's now down to consistency in our final games.
Jack Wilshere is set to step-up his rehabilitation from a hairline foot fracture. "He should start to jog this week. It is all going well but we have to monitor him now day by day," Wenger said. "I think the next three weeks will be very important for him." Asked if he remained confident Wilshere would play again this season, Wenger said: "Yes."
Olivier Giroud injected some fresh life into the Arsenal attack when brought on alongside Yaya Sanogo in the second half against Wigan and Wenger insisted the France international, who saw his personal life come under scrutiny earlier this year, remains central to the side. "He has a fantastic spirit, Olivier Giroud is a fantastic team player. He has gone through a little bit more of a difficult period, but that happens to any striker," Wenger said.
"The striker is the most demanding position, he has played many games –more games than any other striker in the Premier League."
Wenger accepts Arsenal will have to stop the supply line to Andy Carroll on Tuesday. "Once the ball is up there, you do not find many people who can compete with him and win the challenge, so what is important is that we stop the balls going to him. Of that quality, in the air, there are not many [better], I don't think so."
Wenger added: "West Ham are in a comfortable position, that means they can play without fear. So we know that in these kind of games it's very important that we have a good focus and a good tempo in our game."