Mikel Arteta names key area where Arsenal must improve against Sporting CP | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to be "ruthless" when they search for a crucial Champions League win against Sporting CP on Tuesday night.

The Gunners returned to winning ways on Saturday as they eased past Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League to stay fourth, but their position in Europe is a little more precarious.

Arsenal sit 12th in the league phase table after losing their most recent outing against Inter and face another tough away trip when they battle Sporting, who are second after thrashing Manchester City 4-1 in one of Ruben Amorim's final games as manager.

The north Londoners are yet to score away from home in this season's Champions League and Arteta has admitted it is a problem they need to fix.

He said in his pre-match press conference: "I wouldn't say that's the most important thing, but the efficiency we have shown inside the box, at this level, with the number of chances you are normally able to generate in the Champions League, has not been at the level that is required to win consistently.

"I always say the Champions League is about the boxes, small margins and details, and you have to get all those right to win, especially away from home."

Arsenal were beaten by Inter last time out / GABRIEL BOUYS/GettyImages

Prior to the defeat at Inter, Arsenal were held to a goalless draw by fellow Serie A outfit Atalanta, with wins against Paris Saint-Germain and Shakhtar Donetsk responsible for their current position of 12th.

Arteta added: "It's certainly something we have to improve.

"We have the right steps, and looking back at the way we played against Inter, against a team that has been so dominant in the league, were in the Champions League final and should have won it. We played and dominated the game we should have won.

"But the reality is you have to make it happen, and we didn't. Those steps are what we have to take next, be ruthless and be much more efficient in the opposition box, and when we get there do what we have to do to take the three points away from here."