Arsenal boss Emery insists poor away is run down to players' mentality and NOT his tactics

Now he is urging his players to bolster their fragile confidence by battering rock-bottom Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium tomorrow.

Arsenal have taken just two points from their last six Premier League games on the road since their 22-match unbeaten run was ended in December.

Successive away defeats at Liverpool, West Ham and Manchester City have seen them drop to sixth and in danger of missing out on the Champions League for a third consecutive season.

Boss Emery said: “We need to do better away from home and the first issue for us this weekend will be the mentality and then it will be the tactics.

“We started the season very well and won many points away, now we need to change our mentality and recover our confidence.

“Away games have been a challenge for us and Saturday is a big opportunity for three points.

“It’s a game we must win. But it will be difficult because Huddersfield are fighting to stay in the Premier League. Their recent results have not been good but with their new coach I am sure they are going to play with plenty of ambition.

“I have spoken to the players and told them we need to realise this match is very important for us and they all need to be ready and focused on winning.

“We need to impose ourselves from the first minute to the 90th because Huddersfield are going to push us into a lot of duels.

“We are working on ways to do better against teams who press high against us.”

Emery is aware that many Arsenal fans are becoming disillusioned by their team’s lack of progress. But he is not going to be distracted by the flak.

He said: “My biggest critic is always myself. I continue despite the criticism because I know we can change our way with hard work.

“At present we have the possibility of being in the top four but we know it won’t be easy.

“We were in the same situation a month ago so we have to keep working hard and stay calm.”

Emery has been boosted by the return of full-back Ainsley Maitland-Niles from a knee injury, while Denis Suarez could make his first start since joining on loan from Barcelona last week.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also back in full training after missing the last ten games with a foot injury and is likely to be on the bench tomorrow.

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