Arsenal will seek to secure qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League with one group game to spare with victory over Standard Liege at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow night.

After a 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Sunderland last weekend ended a 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions, and with league leaders Chelsea next up, manager Arsene Wenger conceded his team must improve going forwards against the Belgians.

Victory would clinch top spot in Group H— a scenario which perhaps seemed unlikely when Arsenal were 2-0 down inside five minutes of the opening game in Liege.

“We had some deficiencies which we paid for and we have to make sure that is not repeated,” said Wenger. “We did not produce enough in the final third, which had been our strength until now.

“We did not have the right fluency in our game, nor enough penetrative runs to force the issue in the final part of the pitch. That is why we were not dangerous, rather than down to any individual.

“I do not deny at all the super-class of Van Persie, I just feel we still have enough in the locker to score goals even when Robin is not there.”

Wenger, who will have England under-21 defender Kieran Gibbs available again after a foot injury, added: “We have a good opportunity tomorrow to finish first in the group and qualify, then after we can think about Chelsea.

“The perfect way is to respond after a disappointing result, that is where you judge a big team and that is what we want to do tomorrow.”