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Wojciech Szczesny
Wojciech Szczesny, right, returned to the team for the win against West Ham, in which Lukas Podolski scored twice for Arsenal. Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images
Wojciech Szczesny, right, returned to the team for the win against West Ham, in which Lukas Podolski scored twice for Arsenal. Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny confident of taking fourth place above Everton

This article is more than 10 years old
'Every game is like a cup final for us,' says goalkeeper
Arsenal will drop to fifth if Everton avoid defeat to Palace

Wojciech Szczesny would be happy for another four ugly wins if it means Arsenal secure Champions League qualification ahead of Everton.

The Gunners moved back up into the top four after coming from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium, with the France forward Olivier Giroud scoring a superb second and the German international Lukas Podolski grabbing two.

Everton, however, will regain the advantage should they produce a positive result at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

The race for the final Champions League place is set to go to the wire and Szczesny insists it does not matter how the FA Cup finalists secure it, so long as they do.

"The energy level was not great after playing 120 minutes [against Wigan at Wembley] on Saturday, but it was important to get three points," said Szczesny, who was back in the side having been on the bench for the semi-final, where Lukasz Fabianski saved two penalties in the shootout.

"In the Premier League we had not won in four games, so it was important to get back to winning ways – three points is all that matters at the moment.

"I will take four or five more games like that until the end of the season. As long as we get three points, it does not have to be beautiful.

"Every game is like a cup final for us now and we know we have to get the result every time and wait for Everton to drop points."

Szczesny is confident Arsenal can secure a positive end to a campaign which had promised so much. "Before the four disappointing results we had recently we were still in the title race, so it has slipped away from us," the Poland international said. "But it is important for us to fight for the new challenge, which is the top four now. We are confident we are going to do the job."

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