Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed disappointment with his team’s performance in a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Saturday, which could potentially harm their chances of winning the Premier League title. Arteta stated that Arsenal got caught up in playing Newcastle’s style of game.
In the 12th minute, Alexander Isak scored with a header, securing Newcastle’s first victory in six league matches. This result temporarily placed Arsenal in fourth position in the Premier League table, behind Liverpool, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest, with Aston Villa and Chelsea still to play.
Throughout the match, Arteta’s side created limited opportunities, marking the first time since May 2022 that they suffered back-to-back away league defeats, having previously been stunned by Bournemouth in a 2-0 loss on October 19th.
Speaking to Premier League Productions, Arteta admitted, “We deserved to lose today. We had a strong start and were in control. However, we failed to defend our box effectively. Credit to Newcastle for scoring a fantastic goal from a well-executed delivery.”
Arteta acknowledged that the dynamics of the game changed and Arsenal struggled to adapt accordingly. He expressed his frustration, stating, “We were drawn into playing the type of game that Newcastle wanted, and we couldn’t execute our own game plan.”
Newcastle’s Lewis Hall bravely positioned his body in front of Arsenal’s only shot on target, blocking Mikel Merino’s close-range volley during the first half. In injury time, Declan Rice missed a golden opportunity by receiving a cross but shooting wide of the goal. “We had two significant chances – Mikel had one, Declan had one. We lacked solutions,” Arteta expressed. The team has not won in their last three Premier League games. “We can say anything we want. Finding the right words today will be difficult.
We need to demonstrate it on the field on Wednesday night (against Inter Milan in a Champions League match). “You must perform at your highest level every time to give yourself a chance to succeed.”
