Mikael Silvestre insists that confidence is high after the Gunners' latest Champions League victory over Standard Liege.

Silvestre was a second-half substitute at the Emirates and helped his side reach the last 16 thanks to a comfortable 2-0 victory.

In the light of other team's struggles in the Champions League this season, the Frenchman believes that the Gunners' relatively straightforward progress is creditable, especially after some recent difficulties in the Premier League.

"We have seen Liverpool go out, Barcelona are struggling. I think our group was well-balanced and we made a good campaign so we are proud of that," he told his club's official website.

"It was easy to control the game in the second half as we were 2-0 up. After the disappointment of this weekend it was good preparation for Chelsea too.

"I think at Sunderland we lacked a little bit of commitment. You drop one or two per cent and, that's it, you get punished. Tonight we wanted to rectify this and make sure we got the victory."

Having sealed their place in the knock-out phase of the competition, Arsenal can now rest some players and regroup in order to focus on the Premier League.

"It's important for us," Silvestre affirmed. "At least we can save on energy, focus on the other games and also it gives you an opportunity to rotate the squad.

"December is a big period and you can see by then the body already showing some fatigue.

"The Sunderland defeat tells us that we can't rest and we have to keep going. We must treat every game the same no matter if it's after an international break or in December when you have a game a week every week.

"The application has to be the same and so must be the determination."