Mikel Arteta has revealed his message to his Arsenal squad in the dressing room after the club’s title hopes were dented by a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal fell 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool after Wednesday’s Premier League fixtures. The Gunners were frustrated at third-place Nottingham Forest, as Arteta’s striker-less side failed to break down the hosts at the City Ground.
Arsenal drop points 👎
Liverpool take full advantage 💪The gap between the pair is extended to 13 points ↔️ pic.twitter.com/nIBscFZRP2
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 26, 2025
Liverpool’s win over Newcastle extended their advantage and leaves Arsenal facing an improbable task to recover the title race. Despite that disappointment, Arteta revealed his message to the players at full-time. He called his stretched squad a ‘joy to work with’ and urged Arsenal to keep ‘giving everything they possibly can’ across the run-in.
“Stay with them. They’re an absolute joy to work with,” he said at his post-match press conference.
“They feel stretched, they feel like they are giving everything they possibly can. The way they behave and the way they want it. So be with them, because that’s what we all need right now.”
Arteta spoke further on his frustration but said his side always gives him ‘reasons to believe’.
“It was very disappointing not to win after such a dominant performance,” the Spaniard added.
“We did very well in many aspects of the game without really conceding anything. With all the territory and control we had in the final third, we should have found a way to win.
“We had a one-on-one chance that we didn’t score. In set pieces, I felt that was an area where we needed to be more efficient — to unlock the game, create more shots on target, and ultimately get the win. At the end of the day, when you dominate like this against these teams, you have to win the game.
“This team always gives you reasons to believe, to keep going. The frustration comes from knowing that when you control a game like this, you have to win it. But in this league, the margins are so small, and unfortunately, we didn’t find a way to score.”
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