Wenger expects top-four finish

Arsene Wenger remains confident Arsenal have the strength of character needed to force themselves back into the top four of the Barclays Premier League.

The Gunners head to Sunderland this weekend on the back of a 7-1 thrashing of Blackburn at Emirates Stadium, which was a welcome first league win of 2012 and reduced the gap on fourth-placed Chelsea, who drew with Manchester United, to three points.

Wenger's men are set to host four of the five sides currently above them over the coming weeks, and the Arsenal manager feels the team can produce the needed consistency, telling the club's official website: "We still have real hope that we can finish the season the strongest."

Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.