Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, spoke after the Gunners' resounding 4-1, league finale, victory against West Bromwich Albion, on how he believes his sides' 2-0 win at Manchester City at the start of 2015, was a crucial and defining moment in the North Londoners season.

Wenger's team had a torrid record away from home against the Premier League's elite during the 2013-14 campaign; suffering crushing defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea, 5-1 and 6-0 respectively, alongside a frenetic, heavy loss to Man City, 6-3, at the Etihad Stadium.

Following another disappointing defeat to London rivals, Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge, albeit just two goals to nil, and two points dropped in the dying moments at Anfield, in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool, Arsenal arrived on the blue half of Manchester in January this season with questions still to answer away from home against the leagues' best.

Santi Cazorla puts Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot and also assisted for Olivier Giroud's second half sealer.

However, any questions that did linger before kick-off at the Etihad that day were well and truly answered by the Gunners, after an impressive 2-0 victory courtesy of Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud goals, as well as a dogged defensive display led by Francis Coquelin.

Wenger, following the North Londoners emphatic final day win against the Baggies ahead of this weekend's FA Cup final, spoke about how vital his sides' success at Manuel Pellegrini's team was earlier in the campaign.

The Frenchman said; “I felt that a hurdle we had to overcome was to win against a big team away from home, so to win at Manchester City was an important moment,”

Wenger continued; “You could see the consequences afterwards. We won in the FA Cup at Manchester United in a very convincing performance, we drew 1-1 there too and that was a very important point for us to finish in the top three. Maybe the start of the strengthening of the team’s feeling was at Man City."

“As long as you don’t overcome a hurdle, people say, ‘Look they lost again there’. Since we have done that we have not lost a big game away from home. I believe the strength and cohesion of the team, and of the club, is always decided by the away results. On that front you prepare the basis of the season after and we can take a lot of strength from that.”

The Gunners finished their league campaign in third after Sunday's last round of Premier League fixtures, one position higher than last season and securing automatic UEFA Champions League qualification, alongside a consecutive FA Cup final appearance less than a week away.

As the cup holders, if Wenger's team are able to retain their crown come Saturday evening, then the Gunners' French boss may well look on 2014/15 as a campaign of progression, as Arsenal look to raise their levels next season with a genuine title assault.

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