• Premier League

Ramsey: We must improve against top teams

Aaron Ramsey scored the winner against Crystal Palace in added time © Getty Images

Enlarge

Aaron Ramsey says Arsenal must banish last season's away-day maulings at the hands of their title rivals if they are to win the Premier League this season.

Arsenal won their opening day fixture for the first time in five years thanks to Ramsey's added-time goal against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.

A much sterner test awaits next weekend against Everton at Goodison Park, where Arsenal were swept aside 3-0 last season in one of several heavy defeats on the road against the Premier League's top five teams.

Arsene Wenger's side took just six points from a possible 24 against Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton last season, with Ramsey calling on Arsenal to turn things around starting next week.

"You saw last season we picked up a number of points against the teams outside the top four but our main target this year is to improve our form against the bigger teams," Ramsey told Sky Sports after the win.

"That's what let us down last season. If we did pick up a few points away from home last season we would've maybe been champions.

"That wasn't to be but that's our biggest thing we need to improve on."

Ramsey was voted Arsenal's player of the season in the previous campaign after scoring 16 goals, including a late winner in the FA Cup final against Hull which ended the club's nine-year trophy drought.

With two goals in as many games so far this season, Ramsey is hoping to better his tally.

"I'm trying to improve on last season. I'm counting the Community Shield goal so I've got two so far," Ramsey added.

"I was in the right place at the right time today. I didn't have the best of games, I kept trying to get in the box and finally it broke to me.

"They came out and defended really well, and were very tough to break down. They lost their manager earlier in the week but you'd never know that the way they played today. But that's irrelevant.

"We've found it difficult, the first game of the season, for the last few years. It was important to get three points today, we managed to do that so that's all that matters for us."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd