Arteta calls for Arsenal reaction after Villa hammer blow
Arsenal’s Premier League title destiny was wrenched out of their own hands as they lost 0-2 at home to Aston Villa on Sunday but manager Mikel Arteta said how they react will be crucial.
A first loss in 12 league games brought back horrible memories of last season when Arsenal collapsed under the relentless pressure of Manchester City.
Late goals by Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins secured a superb win for Villa on a day in which Manchester City were left as clear favourites to win a fourth successive title.
City, who thrashed Luton Town on Saturday, have 73 points from 32 games with Arsenal and Liverpool, who were stunned by Crystal Palace earlier on Sunday, on 71.
“That’s the reality now,” Arteta said when asked if Manchester City were now in charge of the title race.
“It’s been the same for a few months. We knew this moment could come and now it’s about reacting well. If one result is going to (derail us) then we are not strong enough.
“We had a great performance in the first half, it should have been three or four. Second half the momentum shifted. Now the moment is to stand up and be counted.”
Thousands of fans streamed out of The Emirates after Villa’s second goal as Arsenal’s hopes of a first title in 20 years were dealt a mighty dent. They still have six games left, however, and midfielder Declan Rice said all was not lost.
“Sometimes you need a game like this to re-set and re-focus and I still believe there will be loads of twists and turns,” Rice, who was not at his influential best, told Sky Sports.
Arsenal can ill afford any sort of hangover after their first league defeat since New Year’s Eve. They face Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, having drawn 2-2 in the first leg.
They then go to Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend when they would have the opportunity to go top of the table again, albeit having played a game more than Pep Guardiola’s City.
Unai Emery could justifiably claim he was not given the time he deserved as manager of Arsenal but on Sunday he returned to engineer a superb Aston Villa display.
Predictably Emery was asked if the win over second-placed Arsenal tasted sweeter as it was against a club that dispensed with his services 18 months after he replaced Arsene Wenger.
“It’s not for me, it’s for Aston Villa. Now we have 63 and we are closer to being in the top five. That is the only thought I had before the match,” the Spaniard said.
“It was tough because Arsenal are having an incredible season. I’m very proud of our work and the focus of the players, being demanding of themselves.”
Villa are eight points behind Arsenal and third-placed Liverpool and but for a drop in form at the start of the year could conceivably have been in the title race themselves.
The Midlands Club have made enormous strides since Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in October 2022, turning them from a side in the lower reaches of the Premier League to one that qualified for Europe and is now eyeing the Champions League.
Villa face Lille in their Uefa Conference League quarter-final, second leg next week holding a 2-1 lead and then tackle Bournemouth at home in the Premier League next weekend.