Arteta warns the rest of the Premier League after demolishing Tottenham

Arsenal dominated Tottenham 4-1 on their rival's ground, and manager Arteta expressed pride in his team’s recovery following the setback against Wolves, emphasizing this as a sign of genuine character.

Following the convincing 4-1 victory over Tottenham on their opponent’s turf, Coach Mikel Arteta shared heartfelt thoughts on Arsenal’s strong comeback after the slip-up against Wolves midweek.

The Spanish tactician admitted the past 72 hours had been challenging for the entire squad. The unfortunate draw where Arsenal lost two points in the final moments left many negative emotions. “Looking back at that game, you still can’t understand how we let the win slip away. The feelings of anger, disappointment, even shame were very real,” Arteta stated.

However, instead of dwelling on disappointment, Arsenal transformed their pain into motivation. According to Arteta, the most crucial thing was to unify the team and focus forward. “We told each other that it was behind us. We had to turn it into a turning point to become better,”. And the response came with an explosive performance in the North London derby. “From start to finish, we played excellently,” he asserted.

Arteta emphasized that football for Arsenal’s players is more than just a job. “This isn’t merely a job. It’s much bigger than that. It’s our passion and life’s purpose,” he shared, also highlighting the special emotional significance of this victory.

One of the highlights of the match was the impressive display by Eberechi Eze. Although Arteta admitted he hadn’t focused on the player’s previous scoring stats, he praised his strong desire to prove himself. “He scored five goals in the last two games against them, which is extremely difficult. I could see Eze wanted to demonstrate something,” he revealed. He also disclosed that the midfielder was unhappy about not starting the previous match: “He was even upset because I didn’t start him. And I began to understand how to best utilize his abilities.”

In attack, Arteta believed the players stepped up at the right moment. “You have to perform when things are on the line and when doubts arise. It’s tough, but today they delivered.” Regarding Bukayo Saka, he offered special praise: “I love his attitude. From the start, Saka wanted to take control and say: ‘I’m here.’ Even without scoring, he was involved in every moment.”

Despite feeling proud, Arteta remained grounded. “We showed what we are made of. But we must repeat that again and again. Today we are proud, but we have to keep moving forward.”