Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has insisted that he never had doubts that he was good enough to force his way into the team.

In the early stages of the season, manager Arsene Wenger kept the Frenchman on the bench, with Alexis Sanchez being preferred to lead to the line.

The 30-year-old is back in the frame, though, scoring four goals in five consecutive Premier League starts.

"I never had doubts about my quality," Giroud told Arsenal's official website. "When you show what you can do on the pitch it's better for a striker. I want to carry on like that and keep efficiency high.

"I always try to bring something to the team and I'm very pleased to score important goals, but we need to be more stronger at the beginning of games because I'm not going to score goals in the last minute every week!"

Giroud has scored 10 goals in all competitions; only Theo Walcott (11) and Sanchez (17) have netted more this season.