Unai Emery insists Arsenal's biggest challenge in the race for the Premier League top four is still to come after they moved up to third with a 2-0 home win over Newcastle United.

Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette gave the Gunners a 10th league home win on the bounce - for the first time since the 1997/98 campaign - and moved them above derby rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the first time this season.

Just three points separate the Gunners, Spurs, Manchester United and Chelsea as the battle for the Champions League spots goes down to the wire.

Emery's men have timed their run of impressive form well but, with five of their remaining seven games away from the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners boss is not expecting it to be easy.

"Our target is very clear," he said.

"It's going to be very difficult but step-by-step we've started to rise up the table... we are improving and now we are third.

"We know it is going to be difficult for us because our opposition is big opposition and it is going to be very tough for us.

"Our challenge is to be as consistent away as we are at home."

The Gunners' ascent has been rapid, as they were 10 points behind Spurs a matter of weeks ago and Emery put's the rise down to consistency.

"We were playing some key matches, against Manchester United, against Tottenham, against Chelsea," he said.

"And we had these opportunities and we won. We drew against Tottenham but we were being consistent in winning more matches to be closer to them.

"Now is the consequence."

The three points were never really in doubt against the lowly Magpies once Ramsey stroked them ahead with a nice finish on the half hour.

Lacazette finished substitue Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's flick-on with a brilliant lob on 83 minutes to seal the win.

Ramsey had left the pitch by then with cramp, which Emery said is not serious.

Newcastle remain seven points clear of the bottom three.

"I am disappointed because we knew it would be difficult, we knew we could lose," Magpies manager Rafael Benitez said.