Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal should have scored five goals against Aston Villa in “one of the best halves we have played this season.”
Late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins secured a two-goal victory for Villa in a result which ensured Manchester City ended the matchday at the top of the Premier League.
City lead Arsenal by two points with six rounds of action remaining, with Liverpool — who lost 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace earlier on Sunday — behind the north London side on goal difference.
Arteta told BBC’s Match of the Day he was “very disappointed” with the result but insisted: “The first half was one of the best halves we have played this season against a top team. We should’ve scored three, four, five, we haven’t scored.”
The Arsenal boss admitted the game “changed” after the break and his side “struggled to gain momentum” with Villa gaining more possession and creating more opportunities prior to their late goals.
“We struggled to get the ball into certain areas and we were very sloppy with the ball and the game was there with not much happening. A few corners for them and then we concede a very poor goal and then, on top of that, we were chasing it and then we concede another one and it was a painful loss.
“I think we should’ve scored three, four, five goals in the first half and that would’ve been a very different game. That’s not the case and we have to accept that and we have to praise the opponent, they beat us and we have to move. It is about reacting now.”
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Arteta’s side are back in action on Wednesday night in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, which is poised at 2-2 following last week’s draw in north London.
“It is now after that defeat, how you show you character and your leadership and going to Munich, we have a beautiful opportunity to do that,” added Arteta.
Arsenal return to the Premier League on April 20 with an away match at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
