Arsene Wenger demands ‘perfect run’ from Arsenal in bid to catch leaders Chelsea

Arsene Wenger shouts instructions to his players during Arsenal's 1-0 victory at Burnley on April 11. Lindsey Parnaby / AFP

Arsene Wenger has said his Arsenal side need a “perfect run” to have any chance of catching Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Saturday’s 1-0 win away to Burnley made it eight league wins in succession for Arsenal for the first time since the “Invincibles” season of 2003/04.

Chelsea are four points in front with two games in hand ahead of their match away to relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers on Sunday and the title is theirs to lose.

London rivals Arsenal have emerged as their closest challengers due to a superb run of form.

“Nothing has changed. We need a perfect run and we need a non-perfect run from them (Chelsea) but we can’t master that, we can only master our own position,” Wenger said.

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“We want to keep winning because we have to look behind us, as well, at Manchester United and Manchester City.

“I think we have won 15 of last 17 so we are consistent.

“When you look at the number of players we had out for months at the start of the season, we got our squad back since January and that makes a difference. Let’s focus on the next game and give absolutely everything to finish in a strong way.”

Aaron Ramsey’s ninth club goal of the season was enough to give Arsenal maximum points against a determined Burnley team, who missed the chance to move out of the relegation zone.

Burnley have taken points off Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham this season with performances full of spirit and they made Arsenal work hard for the victory, without seriously threatening to equalise.

“I’m pleased with the performance because it was a fighting performance and many people question us on that side,” Wenger said. “I was surprised by the quality of Burnley and it will be a shame if they go down because they have done fantastically well.

“They are organised, they press well and show great solidarity, they are very fit and I understand now why they took points from the big teams.

“You have to fight and be combative until the end and we couldn’t score the second goal, but the defence played very well today and got us the three points.”

Second-bottom Burnley have won five league matches this season and remain two points away from safety.

“We had our moments but you have got to take them and that’s what we’ve found all season,” Burnley manager Sean Dyche said.

“I thought in the second half we went right on the front foot after them but you have got to take your chances.

“We think the team can perform and win games and with respect to the teams we’re going to play now, they’re not as strong and powerful.”

Burnley finishes away to Everton, home to Leicester, away to West Ham and Hull Cith, home to Stoke and away to Aston Villa.

Dyche said: “We want to be effective enough to win them and I think we have to learn from everything we’ve done and package it all together and make it happen over the next six games.”

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