Arsenal may be a point behind fifth placed West Ham ahead of their clash at Upton Park but manager Arsene Wenger is refusing to panic.

The Gunners laboured past QPR on Friday after losing Olivier Giroud to a wreck less red card. However their main problem in the league this season has been consistency and that is something Wenger believes will be decisive from this point forward.

The Arsenal manager is not concerned by their current league position.

“I don’t give importance to the table at the moment. There are 20 games to go. It is very tight and it is down to consistency now,” Wenger said.

Arsenal are 2.18 to win at Upton Park with Dafabet and Wenger is keen to secure the three points that move his side about the Hammers in the table.

“We know every game now is down to consistency and reproducing the performances. We need to prepare quickly, focus quickly and that is an ability we want to show at West Ham,” he said.

Theo Walcott is in line to start up front alongside Danny Welbeck for Arsenal with Giroud beginning a three game suspension on the back of his red card in the win over QPR.

The Gunners have scored at least three times in each of their last five matches against the Hammers while they have won the last eight meetings between the sides in all competitions.

Victory over West Ham would move Arsenal into the top four should Southampton fail to beat league leaders Chelsea.