Mikel Arteta has declared Arsenal “sensational” and firmly back in the Premier League title race following their 2-1 victory over Tottenham in Wednesday’s north London derby.
Facing a must-win scenario to close the gap on leaders Liverpool, Arsenal mounted an impressive comeback after Son Heung-min’s early goal put Tottenham ahead.
An own goal by Dominic Solanke leveled the score before Leandro Trossard’s decisive strike gave Arsenal the lead late in the first half at a vibrant Emirates Stadium.
The win, Arsenal’s first in four matches across all competitions, moved them to within four points of Liverpool, who remain title favorites with a game in hand.
Despite the uphill task, Arteta is confident Arsenal can challenge Liverpool. When asked if his team are title contenders, he responded, “Yeah, we are. There is so much to play for. We can see how difficult it is for every team.”
The victory was a significant morale boost for Arsenal after a series of setbacks, including an FA Cup third-round exit to 10-man Manchester United on penalties and a 2-0 home loss to Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final first leg. A league draw at Brighton had further dampened their momentum.
Arteta, whose side faces Aston Villa on Saturday, praised his team’s determination, emphasizing the hunger they will need to sustain their title bid in the second half of the season.
“We were sensational. It was a big test after two games and not getting rewarded,” he said.
“We were incredibly good in the last game against United and we ended up losing somehow.
“It’s how you respond to a situation. These boys want more, They want to be tested and questioned, then they want to go on the pitch. We have big examples of that today, playing 72 hours after 120 minutes on Sunday.
“To play the biggest game of the season for our people, it was a test of attitude, what we are made of, the courage we have. From minute one, we fully deserved to win the game.”
– ‘Unlucky we didn’t score 10’ –
Pressed on whether the north London derby success had restored confidence in Arteta and his team, the Spaniard added: “We can’t control that. We lost in the most incredible way against Manchester United.
“My confidence comes from seeing the players and how they perform every day. If my confidence comes and goes with each result then we should not be doing this.”
Showing the confidence that Arteta prizes so highly, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice insisted they should have dispatched Tottenham by a far greater margin.
“You can tell that tonight meant more than anything. From the first minute, the first half was pure domination,” he said.
“We showed the intent, the pressure, the desire, you could tell it was a derby. I think we were probably unlucky that we didn’t score 10. That is the feeling.”
England midfielder Rice was in boisterous mood after playing through injury to anchor Arsenal’s midfield.
Hitting back at his critics, Rice said: “As I’ve got older I don’t get the recognition I deserve.
“I was bought for a big fee and I play for Arsenal. Not a lot of people like Arsenal. I keep my head down and I know my qualities.”
Like Arteta, the former West Ham star is confident Liverpool can be reeled in, as long as Arsenal take advantage of any further slips from their rivals.
“Every time Liverpool have drawn we have not capitalised on it and that’s been a kick in the teeth,” he said.
“To close the gap is important, a big night for us.”