Arteta points out to Arsenal’s mistakes in Man City loss

Arsenal were beaten 3-1 at home by rivals

and lost the top spot in the league to the Citizens on goal difference, albeit having a game in hand.

Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta bemoaned the mistakes made by Arsenal players which directly led to some of City’s goals in the match.

"We lost it, it was an incredible battle against two teams and we had them - but we gave them the goals,"

Arteta told Amazon Prime Video.

"We had them in big moments, but in the big moments they were better than us. We were really imprecise, we put ourselves in trouble, in certain areas of the pitch we overplayed and we got punished.

"We had three big chances but didn't put them away and that was the difference. To beat them we have to be over our level because they are such a good team.

"The atmosphere and performance was really good, if you take away the way we gave them three goals."

Despite the loss, Arsenal were the more dominant team throughout the match, with more shots, possession and passes than City, which gives Arteta the belief that they can indeed win the title.

"I have more belief than I had before the game, with the performance and the level the team put in against City,"

he added to BBC Sport.

"They wanted to play a different game than the one we played and with the crowd we have we can do it.

"They still have it [the belief], I can sense it. They feel they can do it."

captain Martin Odegaard though that they weren’t clinical enough when it came to finishing off chances.

"The game is decided in the boxes and we were not sharp enough in front of the goal and in our own [box] as well,"

Odegaard told Amazon Prime Video.

"They were better [in the boxes]. Apart from that, we played a good game, did many good things and had many good periods, but we have to be better in the boxes.

"It is football. Sometimes chances go in, sometimes not. But that is where we need to improve and be more clinical. And [we must] defend our box. That is not just about one player, but the whole team.

"As we have said all season, work hard and take it game by game. It is the same now.

"It is one game we have lost here and now we look to the next one.

"It was an unbelievable atmosphere and we are so grateful to everyone who came here and made the game special. We will work hard to give them something to make them happy about."

Arsenal will have a tough match up on Saturday against the former boss Emery who is now in charge of Aston Villa.

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