Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he has not been set the target of a top-four finish this season.

The 67-year-old is still yet to announce whether he will remain at the Emirates Stadium beyond the end of the campaign and said he is “not scared” as protests against his reign continue.

Wenger has never finished outside the Premier League top four since taking over in September 1996 but, with just one league win since February, the Gunners now sit sixth.

A handful of fans displayed banners at the entrance to the club’s London Colney training ground yesterday morning.

This follows a third pre-match protest, which took place ahead of Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Man. City, but Wenger continues to wait to publicly declare if he will sign a new deal or depart at the end of the campaign.

He has said the decision is made but was again less than forthcoming when asked about the situation yesterday.

“I have answered that question many times,” he said.

“I can understand that you ask again. Don’t worry, you will get that (answer) soon.”

It now appears that qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four is not a prerequisite for either Wenger or the Arsenal board.

Asked if he had been set a specific target, the Frenchman replied: “No.

“I tell myself to finish as high as possible... It (finishing in the top four) is a good challenge but I think it’s perfectly possible.

“Certainly for 20 years I have done it and it looked always like it’s nothing.

“Suddenly it becomes important, so I am quite pleased that people realise that it’s not as easy as it looks.

“If you listen to (Manchester City manager) Pep Guardiola, he said the other day that to achieve the top four in England is a trophy because it’s so difficult.

“Of course we have a difficult task in front of us, but I am happy as well that people realise suddenly that it’s not as easy as it looked always.”