Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal not to let their "decisive step" towards automatic Champions League qualification slip with a defeat at Stoke.
The Gunners head to Britannia Stadium holding a five-point cushion over FA Cup finalists Manchester City.
Wenger knows given his team still have a mathematical chance of overtaking United and Chelsea, who clash at Old Trafford, there can be no more off days if the season is to end with some sense of relative achievement.
"The first step was to be in the top four and last Sunday was a decisive step for that," the Arsenal boss said.
"Now, we go step-by-step and the next step is to be in the top three.
"We are not there yet, we have the advantage over Manchester City, but only if we win our games and we will do absolutely everything to be in there."
Wenger insists Arsenal must not concern themselves whether or not Stoke will have one eye on the FA Cup final date against City at Wembley next Saturday.
"We have to focus on our performance," he said.
"We had a good performance against Manchester United and let's produce another one without us expecting them to weaken."
With Arsenal again looking set for what would be a sixth campaign without silverware, Wenger knows his summer transfer moves will be scrutinised more than ever.
"We have a very young team and we want to strengthen the team," he said.
"Number wise, how much that will be I don't know. It depends as well who goes out, we have a big squad."
Wenger, though, added: "You have the same problem everywhere. If you don't have enough players, people say 'why don't you have another striker on the bench?"
"It is a price to pay, I believe it is part of being a football player.
"Also, on the other hand you cannot reproach that the players have not performed as well as you wanted if you don't give them a chance. It is difficult."
Meanwhile, Wenger has again stressed the need for politics not to become involved in French football.
An internal commission has been set up to probe allegations concerning race quotas to limit the numbers of ethnic minority players in the France national side.
Wenger, who started his coaching career at Nancy and then Monaco, insists such issues should never be raised.
"I feel your national football has to be identified by the culture of the football and the quality of your education, not by where people come from - if you are good enough you play," the 61-year-old said.
"I personally believe that France is not a racist country at all - the favourite personality is Yannick Noah, the captain of the national team is Alou Diarra.
"The least you can say is that the discussion at the French Football Federation was clumsy and should not have existed at all.
"The quota system is an open door to mediocrity and doesn't reward quality.
"We have one advantage in sport and that is it is only down to quality."
Wenger feels France could be accused of double standards over the row, with many players from different backgrounds having served Les Bleus with distinction down the years.
"In France, we have many immigrants so many of them are Moroccan and French, Algerian and French. Many of them choose to play for their country because they have no real hope to play for France," he said.
"However, [Zinedine] Zidane played for France, [Marcel] Desailly and [Samir] Nasri plays for France now.
"For many years, when we could not change their nationality we blocked them early - 'give him a national cap early for the Under-18s and then he cannot play for his country any more'.
"On that front, we are not completely clean, so we cannot complain today that people go when they have no chance to play for France.
"I find it good that they play for their country.
"If they can improve the quality of the game in their country then that is good."
