Vermaelen: Arsenal have been written off all season

Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen says they're proving their critics wrong after victory over Porto.

The battle at the top of the Barclays Premier League was previously seen as a two-horse race between Chelsea and Manchester United until Arsene Wenger's men put together four successive wins to get within two points of the summit.

The Gunners were then tipped to crash out of Europe this week but overturned a first-leg deficit with a 5-0 win against Porto.

"We've been written off twice already I think," said Vermaelen. "We're still in the race for both things, for the league and the Champions League, but you have to stay focused on every game and the next game is Hull City. You have to win every game.

"We will see at the end of the season. You have to focus every game and we will see where we are at the end."