The Gunners extended an unbeaten Barclays Premier League run to 17 games with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Emirates Stadium yesterday - inspired by the creativity of fit-again captain Cesc Fabregas who set up a double strike for Togo frontman Emmanuel Adebayor.

The long-term future of Fabregas, a target for his old club Barcelona, as well as the likes of Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott, continues to occupy column inches.

Dutchman Van Persie - who has a slim chance of being available following a groin problem to face Villarreal in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night - is adamant his own future will not be decided by the amount of money on offer, rather the ability of Arsenal to match his own ambitions.

Wenger, though, will not discus issues other than the battles ahead - with an FA Cup semi-final date against Chelsea fast approaching.

"My thinking is that we focus completely on the short term and not long term because we have such important targets in front of us that we have to show maturity and get rid of all the talks which are not helping us to win the games," said the Arsenal manager, his side now consolidated in fourth place.

"We have to because we play every three days and we cannot sit around with the players."

Wenger added: "It does not affect anything, because we can always talk to the agents - but I believe when a player comes back from an away game you do not want to sitting around the desk at eight o'clock in the morning - you want him to recover, rest and prepare for the next game.

"We have taken this approach because we have a tight schedule. We know that every game is decisive for us.

"It is a period when you have to be completely 'in' to be successful. You cannot be half in and a little bit out, or 90% and a bit out because you can miss that 10% at an important moment of the game.

"I believe we have to be professional, to know what is important and when.

"That is why in the next month I do not want to talk about that [contracts]."

Walcott will undergo tests after receiving another knock to his troublesome knee against City, while winger Samir Nasri (virus) could be fit to travel to Spain tomorrow - but Wenger has already ruled out striker Eduardo (groin) and midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh).

Adebayor marked his return from some eight weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem with a well-executed double.

The Togo striker - also on target for the Sparrow Hawks during the international break - headed home Fabregas' free-kick on seven minutes before another neat finish from an exceptional chipped pass by his captain wrapped things up at the start of the second half.

"There is a feel-good factor back again and the fans are very pleased to see us back playing well, with fast movement and good football," Adebayor said.

"When I joined this club, I was told I had a great chance of winning something, but for the last three years I have gone on holiday having not won a trophy and with an empty heart.

"Now it is the time to achieve things."

For City, it was another frustrating afternoon where Mark Hughes saw his plans for what would have been only a second away league win hampered by injuries.

Key man Stephen Ireland was lost to an ankle problem in the run up to the match, but has an outside chance to be available for the UEFA Cup tie with Hamburg next week.

Wayne Bridge and Vincent Kompany both hobbled off during the first half.

"If we lose key personnel, it does not give us the presence on the field to be able to compete at the top, top table - but we will work on that," said Hughes.

"Our home form is excellent, as good as anybody's, but away from home we have not found the right mix to enable us to get results."

Hughes added: "It is not a case of nailing individual players, it is more a case of highlighting what we have to do better, that was the tone of what I said [in the dressing room].

"We have to prepare for a big game against Hamburg, so it is not a case of undermining players, it is a case of building them up."