Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has declared that a short break from training has helped him and his teammates find focus in the battle to secure Champions League qualification.

The Gunners have won their last two Premier League games, including a 4-1 success over Reading last weekend.

Arteta thinks that a three-day period of rest and recovery during the international break has worked wonders for a rejuvenated squad.

He told the club's official website: "We had three days free to get some time with the family and relax our minds from football. I think sometimes that's very good.

"[After the break] we trained really hard in the last week and this week as well. And I think we played very well [against Reading]. We had a really high tempo right from the start. I think we had a lot of good combinations around the box. We were in control and we played some really good football.

"We're on a very good run in the Premier League but we have to keep going. We know that we're depending on other results, so let's see what happens."

Arsene Wenger's side are fifth in the Premier League, two points behind nearest rivals Chelsea in the fight for a top-four finish.