Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League title were severely damaged on Sunday when they lost 2-0 to Aston Villa at home. Mikel Arteta, the manager, underlined the significance of their reaction following the defeat.
This loss, which was their first in 12 league games, brought back unpleasant memories of their collapse the previous year as a result of Manchester City’s constant pressure. Villa won impressively in the closing minutes thanks to goals from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey, making Manchester City the overwhelming favourites to win the league for a record fourth time.
Arteta accepted the reality of Manchester City’s advantage in the title fight, with the team topping the standings with 73 points after 32 games, with Arsenal and Liverpool following closely behind on 71 points.
ALSO READ: Bayer 04 Leverkusen Secures Historic Bundesliga Triumph, Ending Bayern Munich’s 11-Year Reign
Mikel Arteta emphasised that his players must respond with positivity, saying they weren’t good enough if one loss could ruin their season. Arsenal put on a solid first half effort and had multiple opportunities to take the lead, but in the second half, everything changed.
After Villa’s second goal, hundreds of fans left The Emirates Stadium dejected, but Arteta implored his squad to persevere and be recognised in the face of difficulty. Declan Rice, an Arsenal midfielder, is sure that there will be many surprises in the title fight despite the team having six games left to play.
After a 2-2 tie in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, Arsenal will play Bayern Munich in the second leg on Wednesday, and they cannot afford to let their defeat get to them. Given Arsenal’s eagerly anticipated potential to advance to the Champions League semifinals, Arteta emphasised the importance of this possibility.