Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen said the Gunners must carry on their momentum as they head into a crucial ten days, starting with the club's opening champions League fixture at Montpellier.

Arsenal have started the season really well so far, only conceding one goal in four games, and Vermaelen wants more of the same from his North London side. After the Montpellier match, Arsenal take on Manchester City Sunday and Chelsea a week later.

"We have to stay focused because there are a few hard games coming up," he told the club's official website.

"We have to play away at Montpellier on Tuesday and then we have Manchester City so it is not going to be easy. It is good for confidence, we are happy today but Tuesday is another game.

"The Champions League is always different so that will be a test as well, especially away from home. Manchester City are the champions from last year so it won't be easy. We have to go there and play our own game -- I am confident we can get a result there.

"The team has a strong bond in the dressing room and outside as well. It feels good. All of the players, especially the guys who came in, look good. Everybody plays with a lot of confidence and that is good."

Arsenal will be without first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for the France trip, but manager Arsene Wenger has backed Vito Mannone to step up, after the Italian put in some impressive performances earlier this season.

"Vito, as I told you last week, is very close," the Frenchman said. "He gets another opportunity now. He has belief and he has the mental strength to deal with that.

""I like him as a goalkeeper because he is a football man and he understands the game. He was away on loan last year and did very well. He matured a lot.

"The job of a goalkeeper is from 27 to 37 so all our goalkeepers are still very young, and it can happen that they sometimes have a bad game."