Gibbs - The secret to finishing strongly

Kieran Gibbs says the most united and committed teams will finish the season strongest.

Arsenal are still in three competitions as the campaign nears its closing stages and have been in fine form lately, winning seven of their last eight games.

The Gunners are fifth in the Premier League, but with just five points separating third and seventh place Gibbs believes the Gunners have the experience to secure a top-four finish.

“It’s obviously the most important time of the season where you get rewards for what you put in throughout the year,” he told Arsenal Player. “So it’s time to take the opportunity.

“Experience will help, keeping players fit will help and just remaining focused. It’s a long year and the team that can stay together and are the most committed will come out the strongest.

“[The top-four race] is wider [than before] but it was expected. That’s what makes the league so good and it’s why it’s the best league in the world, because we have a lot of good teams.

“There’s always a surprise team. Last year it was Everton. You always have to expect an underdog team, if you want to call it that, to do well. This year you’re experiencing it with more than just one or two teams.

“[Being in three competitions] is good because you just take each game as it comes and you don’t really get time to switch off. The more you’re focused on just keeping your head down the better it is.”