Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal side to maintain belief in their Premier League title ambitions after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa handed Manchester City the advantage in the race. Late goals from substitute Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins, his 19th league strike of the season, condemned Arsenal to only their fifth loss of the campaign, leaving them unable to return to the top of the table after Liverpool also slipped up against Crystal Palace.
Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal's fate is no longer in their own hands, mirroring last season's experience. 'That's the reality right now. We knew that this moment could come and now it's about reacting and keep believing,' he said. 'We had one of the best performances in the first half that we have had this season by far against a really good team. It should have been three or four but it didn't happen and momentum shifted in the second half and we conceded two very poor goals.'
The defeat came after Arsenal had conceded only four goals in their previous 11 league matches, but slack defending allowed Bailey to score before Watkins added a second. Arteta, who revealed captain Martin Ødegaard was substituted with an unspecified knock, stressed the need for improvement ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich, having conceded two goals in the first leg. 'The players are frustrated and sad,' he said. 'But we have a beautiful opportunity that hasn't happened for this club for 14 years to go to the semi-finals of the Champions League. It cannot come at a better moment.'
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, who secured a league double over his former club, downplayed any personal significance. 'To come here is something important as a coach – it's very difficult to beat Arsenal. For me it's the same three points as we played for last week against Brentford,' he said. Villa now sit three points clear of Tottenham in fourth place.
