If we play like that again we will beat United – Arsenal coach

MIKEL Arteta has revealed he told his Arsenal players that they will be ‘fine’ against Newcastle United if they play like they did in the opening half-hour of a devastating North London derby defeat.

Arsenal had a chance to secure their place in next season’s Champions League with a win against their bitter rivals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on

Thursday but the 10-man Gunners ended up losing 3-0 following goals from Harry Kane (two) and Son Heung-min.

It was Arsenal’s heaviest league defeat against Spurs since 1983 and the Gunners are now just a point above Antonio Conte’s side in the table.

While Arteta had no complaints about his team’s performance, the Arsenal boss was, clearly, furious with referee Paul Tierney’s decision to award Spurs a penalty for Kane’s opener midway through the first half and then to send off Rob Holding for a second yellow card after the half-hour mark.

Arteta gave a series of curt answers in every interview he did after the game, where the Spaniard reiterated he could not say what he really felt for fear of being suspended. Next up for Arsenal is a trip to St James’ Park.

Arteta said: “This game is history and now it is Newcastle and we are all focused.

“It is Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle.

“I said I amso proud of them and if we do what we did in the first half-hour here we will be fine against Newcastle.”