‘A big punch in the face’, Arteta reacts to Arsenal’s 2-1 loss

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was a “big punch in the face”, calling on his players to respond as the club’s Premier League title challenge comes under pressure.

Sporting Tribune reports that Junior Kroupi gave the visitors a lead after 17 minutes before Viktor Gyokeres equalised for Arsenal from the penalty spot.

But Alex Scott restored Bournemouth’s advantage in the 74th minute, and Arteta’s team failed to find a response, suffering their second home defeat in the league this season.

The Gunners remain nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City with six matches to go, but Pep Guardiola’s side, with two games in hand, are firmly back in the title race.

The two teams meet next Sunday at the Etihad in a game that could be decisive in the title race.

Reacting to the result, Arteta said, “It’s a big punch in the face, that’s what I said to the boys, and now it’s about how we react to that.

“We were very far from the level that we’re shown. That’s for certain, especially in certain areas that are critical and when you play against a team like Bournemouth, they were very clear.

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“But again, I don’t want to criticise any player, especially here, publicly.”

Arsenal have now lost three straight domestic matches after being in contention for an unprecedented quadruple weeks ago.

They remain in the title race but face pressure from Manchester City.

Arteta said, “We know what is at stake, and the fact that as a club we haven’t done it for so long is a reason for that.

“It talks about the difficulty, but I just want to focus on the things that we can control, dominate, and we have done.

“It’s not that we have to do a lot of new things that we haven’t done, no, let’s keep doing a lot of it, or almost all the things that we’ve done for nine months, because that’s what has taken us all the way there.”

The Arsenal boss said injuries have affected his squad.

Absentees included Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.

“We need everything, first of all, we need everybody fit and available,” he said.

“So the ones that are not involved, the ones that are not with us, that are really big, important players, we need them immediately with us because then we’re going to be much stronger.

“And then the other ones, they need to stand up, me the first one, and embrace this challenge and go for it.

“So today we have to suffer. It’s painful, it’s a terrible feeling, but tomorrow is a different day, and if somebody had said to me in August, we are in this position right now in April, I’m sure we would all take it.”

Arsenal face Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday after a 1-0 win in the first leg.

Then they travel to Manchester City four days later in a key Premier League fixture.