Laurent Koscielny hails "important" three points

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has admitted that it was "important" for his side to pick up all three points from this evening's Premier League clash with Middlesbrough.

The Gunners went into the game having lost four consecutive away league outings for the first time in Arsene Wenger's tenure, but they snapped that run with a 2-1 triumph at the Riverside Stadium to climb back into the top six of the table.

Koscielny acknowledged that there is still room for improvement from his side, but believes that they may have turned a corner having played in an unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation.

"It was important to have the three points, we were in a bad situation. We had to come back with quality, it was not perfect but we tried and it's good to come back with the win," he told Sky Sports News.

"It's good for confidence, which will come back slowly. We are intelligent, we have experience to play a different system."

Despite the win, Arsenal remain seven points adrift of the Champions League places with only seven games of the season remaining.