Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has hailed his side's 2-1 win at Newcastle United this afternoon as "really important".

The Frenchman admitted that his team struggled as Newcastle responded well to his first-half brace after the break, but stressed that it was important to bounce back from their Champions League elimination in midweek.

"We started well, on the front foot, we put the pace we wanted to into the game. The problem in the second half was we didn't play, I don't know why," BBC Sport quotes him as saying. "We knew we needed a third goal but they put us under pressure and did well to come back.

"It was a tough game but it is a really important win. Even though we are disappointed with the Champions League exit, we want to fight on until the end of the season."

The result leaves Arsenal in third place in the Premier League table, four points behind leaders Chelsea having played two games more.