LONDON • Unai Emery said he is not worried that Arsenal failed to keep a first away clean sheet of the season, as first-half goals from Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazatte secured a 2-1 win at Premier League bottom side Huddersfield.
The result kept the Gunners in the thick of the chase for a top-four finish and Champions League football although questions remain about their defensive frailty.
Deep into injury time on Saturday, Adama Diakhaby broke clear on goal, lifted the ball over Bernd Leno and watched as Sead Kolasinac turned into his own goal via an unfortunate deflection.
Not that Emery was too concerned about that late blot on his team's performance.
"A clean sheet is important, but our main worry is to win," he said. "The main thing is to score one more goal than them and, after that, it is to keep a clean sheet.
"Every player worked very well and the last action, unfortunately for us they scored and also maybe they deserved it."
Arsenal have won the joint most points in the final 10 minutes of matches this season, but relying heavily on second-half turnarounds and late shows could only go on for so long.
At the heart of the problem is their defensive record - Arsenal remain the only Premier League team without an away clean sheet.
Emery had cut an increasingly animated and frustrated figure on the touchline as his team failed to kill off Huddersfield in the first period, even surviving a strong penalty appeal after Jason Puncheon's shot struck the arm of Laurent Koscielny after 25 minutes.
"That is me," he said, explaining his antics. "It is my personality. If I am here, it is because in my career I progressed like that. If for one moment I thought it's negative, then I wouldn't do it."
The win moved Arsenal to within one point of fourth-placed Manchester United (51 points), even though Chelsea could regain fourth spot with a draw or win over champions Manchester City in their late match yesterday.
Insisting that a top-four finish was a realistic target, the Spaniard said: "I think it's difficult, but we can (finish in the top four). After 26 games, we are on our way and our motivation is very great and we've brought our target closer."
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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