Petr Cech has talked up the importance of Arsenal's 3-0 home win over Watford, admitting that it is a "big step forward" for his side.

The Gunners headed into Sunday afternoon's match on the back of three successive defeats in the Premier League, leaving them on course for their lowest finish in manager Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign.

However, goals from Shkodran Mustafi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan earned Arsenal their first three-point haul since the start of February, adding to the midweek Europa League triumph away at AC Milan.

Cech played a big part in the victory over Watford by keeping out a Troy Deeney penalty at 2-0, as the experienced stopper finally reached the landmark of 200 Premier League clean sheets.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, the 35-year-old said: "You cannot say that because we won two games in a week we are out of it but it is a big step forward to try and finish the season on a high and see what we can get.

"Watford were quite dangerous in the first half and had a few chances and then in the second half they had a penalty. We know what can happen when you are 2-0 down. There were a few comments after the last game but we are professional and take it on board. It was more important what we do than what Watford did.

"We took 18 games to get to nine clean sheets; I got to 199 and then had to wait 11 games to get another clean sheet. It was a bit frustrating but we have eight games and we have to make sure we win most of them."

Arsenal, who remain sixth in the table, now have a three-week break before their next league game at home to Stoke City.