15 April 2024 , 04:44
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appeared particularly frustrated with one question in the aftermath of Sunday's home defeat by Aston Villa.
Late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins resigned the Gunners to their first league defeat of the calendar year and leave their title hopes in huge doubt. With Liverpool also losing to Crystal Palace in the game prior, Arsenal could have gone top of the pile and three points in front of the Reds with a victory.
Instead, it is reigning champions Manchester City who lead the way with a two-point advantage six games from the end of the season. Both Arteta and his players looked miserable come full-time, the sense of an opportunity missed was palpable around the Emirates.
Ahead of kick-off, eyebrows were raised at Arteta's team selection. The Spaniard opted for Leandro Trossard ahead of Gabriel Martinelli on the left, as well as dropping Jorginho to the bench and Oleksandr Zinchenko getting the nod at left-back instead of Jakub Kiwior.
Come full-time, the Gunners boss was pressed for comment on why Trossard started instead of Martinelli and whether the Brazilian was fit enough to feature for the full 90 minutes. Arteta's response was notably blut.
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"Because I'm the manager and I decide the line up," he replied. It was evident that Arteta was frustrated with the scrutiny surrounding his starting eleven, but called on his side to "stand up" and be counted for the remainder of the campaign.
Asked how he plans to manage emotions after such a damaging defeat, Arteta told reporters: "If one result is going to do that then we are not strong enough, that’s very simple.
HAVE YOUR SAY!Are Arsenal's title hopes over after that Villa defeat? Comment below
Leandro Trossard started from the off against Villa instead of Gabriel Martinelli"We had one of the best performances in the first half that we had this season by far against a really good team, it should have been three or four or more. It didn’t happen in the second half, momentum shifted, we could not control and generate what we did in the first half.
"We struggled, we conceded two very poor goals and we lost the game so congratulations to the opponent and now is the moment to stand up as a leader, as a character to make yourself count because when you win and win and win and win for four months, it’s very simple to do it. The moment is now."
Arsenal's attentions now turn to European action, ahead of Wednesday night's second-leg quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. With the first meeting in north London ending 2-2, the tie in Germany is finely poised.
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