English Premier League: Wenger tells Arsenal not to be complacent

Manager still wary of top-four finish despite 3-0 win over Newcastle

LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to get carried away despite his side taking a major step towards Champions League qualification with a convincing 3-0 Premier League win at home to Newcastle on Monday.

Goals from Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud at the Emirates Stadium handed the fourth-placed Gunners a routine victory that moved them four points clear of fifth-placed rivals Everton with just two league games of the season remaining.

FA Cup finalists Arsenal require one more domestic league win to achieve their 17th successive campaign in Europe's premier competition, although an Everton defeat by Manchester City at Goodison Park on Saturday would also suit the Gunners.

But Wenger was not ready to start celebrating just yet, despite a decent performance against Alan Pardew's struggling outfit, who lost a sixth successive English top-flight match for the first time since 1986-87 season, amid calls for the Newcastle manager to be sacked from the north-east club's travelling fans at the Emirates.

"It's a step forward and one more win will be top four, for sure,” said Wenger. “But it's not done.

"I'm long enough in the job to know to get over the line is difficult," added the 64-year-old Frenchman, now far and away the Premier League's longest-serving manager after taking charge of north London giants Arsenal in 1996.

"We have suffered enough this season in some periods not to be complacent. The pain we went through will help us focus to do the final job well. We are in a strong position now.

"We have another home game and another opportunity to win again. What is important is our performances and, game by game, they look strong and convincing and show we have the potential to play very good football."