Gunners’ quick reload
Arsenal character fuelled bounce-back victory, says arteta
LONDON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his players’ mentality after an impressive response to their last-gasp defeat at Porto as they blew away Newcastle in the Premier League to move back within two points of leaders Liverpool on Saturday.
The Gunners scored twice in each half of their 4-1 home victory to record a sixth straight league win, a run in which they have racked up an aggregate scoreline of 25-3.
Saturday’s performance kept the pressure on the Premier League’s top two of Liverpool and Manchester City.
“I think we had a great performance, big credit to the boys after two days and just half a day to prepare the game,” Arteta told reporters.
“The way we executed everything, the intensity, the commitment, the determination, the aggression and progression in everything that we were doing with the ball.
“They played with a lot of courage and we got rewarded.”
The Arsenal manager was particularly pleased with his side’s reaction.
“We showed how much we want it ... I could sense it from the moment we were in Porto that we were ready for the game,” he said.
“In sport, things happen for a reason, you have to learn from that. We have to understand why that happened and be better.”
Arteta, however, was still keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
“We could have scored many more today,” he said. “We have to continue to do that, keep developing, all the things that we can still do better.”
Arsenal’s prowess from set-pieces forced an own goal from Sven Botman before Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior from another corner killed off Newcastle.
Newcastle mustered a consolation five minutes from time when former Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock looped in a header off the post.
“We continued in the same way, we maintained our rhythm and it was a joy to watch the team play,” added Arteta.
“The boys were really good, really aggressive and we deserved to win the game.”
Meanwhile, defeat is another blow to Newcastle’s aspiration of European football next season.
Eddie Howe’s men were outclassed to remain down in eighth, 15 points adrift of the top four, and have now conceded 23 goals in their last eight league games.
“We were off in most aspects of our game. We didn’t do the basics right,” said Howe.
“Sometimes away from home you have those spells in the game and you have to weather the storm. Unfortunately we didn’t do that and we conceded some bad goals.” —