Unai Emery Urging Arsenal to Add Defensive 'Balance' After Outstanding Run of Form

Arsenal manager Unai Emery is delighted with the attacking prowess his side have shown in recent weeks, but the Spaniard is still seeking 'balance' after the free-scoring Gunners have conceded a lot more goals than any of the other Premier League top five.

Arsenal have won 10 straight games in all competitions since back-to-back defeats at the start of the new campaign, managing 22 Premier League goals in total. They have leaked 11 at the other end, compared to just the three each conceded by Manchester City and Liverpool.

Clive Rose/GettyImages

"We want the balance - the balance to score a lot and also not to concede a lot of goals," Emery is quoted as saying by Sky Sports ahead of this week's Europa League clash with Sporting CP.

"For me, the individual goalscoring statistics for the players is very important, as it is for the supporters to be excited with many things on the pitch. Scoring goals is important for this spectacle.

"For me, with this balance we want to score a lot and with different players. I want our strikers to have a lot of chances to score but also to find the balance defensively."

A win in Portugal this week would see Arsenal put one foot firmly in the Europa League knockout rounds with half of the group stage still remaining after earlier wins over Vorskla and Qarabag.

Beating Sporting in Lisbon would also put the Gunners in the driving seat to win the group, with the Portuguese side also tasting victory in each of their two previous games.

Francois Nel/GettyImages

Arsenal reached the semi finals of the competition last season, losing to eventual winners Atletico Madrid. Major silverware and a guaranteed place in next season's Champions League group stage remains on offer to the winners and Emery has lifted this trophy three times before.