Premier League: Arsenal will fight to finish 'as close as possible' to the top of the table, says Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger is confident that Arsenal's fine recent form and players returning from injury can take them towards the top of the table.

The Gunners face Southampton on New Year's Day having taken 10 points from the Christmas schedule, but they have doubts over key striker Danny Welbeck who has a thigh injury.

Absences have proved costly at times for Wenger's side with Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere all missing, but the Frenchman hopes the second half of the season will prove smoother sailing with most of those players due back soon.

"We will fight to be as close as possible [to the top]," Wenger said.

"Now it is time to catch back the points that we lost now until the end of the season.

"I feel we were very, very unlucky with the injuries we got, but with the number of injuries we have had, we have survived quite well.

"I believe that there is a deficit between the potential we have shown and the number of points we have, that is what we want to get right

"I feel it is nearly impossible that we will have the same bad luck on the injury front that we had in 2014.

"I believe that hopefully in the second part of the season, we will have more stability, especially defensively, to be more consistent." ...SkySports