Wenger: Arsenal destiny in our hands

Arsene Wenger has expressed satisfaction with the fact Arsenal's destiny is now in their own hands, despite the pressure on the team to win their last two games in order to ensure Champions League football.

The French boss's team take on Wigan at the Emirates on Tuesday, with both sides badly needing a win. Arsenal are currently in fifth and two points behind Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand, while anything other than a victory for Wigan would effectively relegate them just three days aftertheir remarkable FA Cup final victory on Saturday.

Wenger, however, insisted that represents significant progress from the Gunners' dire situation in February.

"They are important games but that's what you want to play for," the Arsenal boss said. "Two months ago we had no chance to be where we are today so we can only be happy with what we have done. Two months ago our destiny was not in our hands. Today it is so we have done that very well, so now let's finish the job and continue to play like we did until now and take the points.

"It is a very important game for both sides, so we expect huge commitment on both sides. We play at home and we want to take advantage of that. We are on a remarkable run, we have been hugely consistent and we are in a position where our destiny depends on us and we want to finish the job."

In pointing to his own side's run of six wins and two draws in his last eight games, Wenger also said he was not overly concerned about Wigan's sensational victory at Wembley and the manner in which they stuck to their own plan. Instead, he said he did not know how Wigan would play in their second match in London in three days.

"It doesn't worry me especially because I know they have the quality," he said. "Having said that, it is a surprise that they are in the position that they are in the championship because they have produced a remarkable game on Saturday and they played absolutely remarkably well on both flanks. They defended very well and they kept Man City very quiet for a big part of the game.

"I don't know - it's a difficult position. They had a contrasting week because they were on a low against Swansea when they lost at home, a game that of course was a massive game for them. But you could see on Saturday they have quality and they played a remarkable game when they played against Man City. What kind of team will we face? We don't know. We know just one thing; we want to be at our best in a game of that importance.

"Martinez has a positive philosophy. Above all, what you want is that he tries to play good football and has a positive philosophy. That for me is a good basis to go forward and move higher up."