Arsenal's recent defeat to Newcastle has dealt a significant blow to their title race, leaving them trailing seven points behind league leaders Liverpool. The loss couldn't have come at a worse time, with upcoming matches against Inter Milan and Chelsea posing further challenges.
The Gunners were left reeling after a 1-0 loss at Newcastle on Saturday afternoon. Despite their efforts, they failed to create many meaningful chances on Tyneside. Declan Rice was notably guilty of missing a crucial opportunity in the closing stages of the game.
Alexander Isak - who has been linked with Arsenal - scored the only goal of the match, powering home a header that marked Arsenal's second defeat of the season.
Arteta admits deserved loss
Mikel Arteta is known for his fighting spirit when his team suffers losses. However, following this defeat, he could only admit that his side were well beaten.
Arteta expressed disappointment over how his team adapted after going 1-0 down and offered no excuses for their performance. The Gunners managed just one shot on target in what was an overall concerning display.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, said:
"We deserved to lose today, I thought we started really well and were really dominant. We didn't defend the box well enough. Credit to them. They scored a great goal with a good ball. Then the game changes and you start to play a different game.
"You have to adapt and we didn't do that well enough. I am very frustrated. We got dragged into a game they are looking for constantly and we couldn't play the game that we wanted. We had two big chances - Mikel had a big one, Declan had a big one. We lacked answers."
Concerning defensive form continues
Arsenal's defensive form continues to be worrisome as they have now gone three Premier League games without securing a win - following up with a 2-2 draw against Liverpool and suffering another loss (2-0) against Bournemouth. The team has also failed to keep clean sheets in their last six games in the league – an unsettling run dating back to September 15 when they last held Spurs scoreless in a 1-0 victory.
Isak’s strike marked the eleventh goal conceded by Arsenal this season in Premier League play – equalling Manchester United’s record who are currently placed fourteenth and Crystal Palace who sit seventeenth. As Arsenal prepares for challenging games against Inter Milan and Chelsea, it's clear that the team has some significant issues to address. The recent loss to Newcastle and the subsequent admission from Arteta underline a need for improvement, particularly in their defensive form.
The upcoming matches will be crucial in determining whether Arsenal can regain their footing in the title race or if they will continue on this concerning trajectory. For now, all eyes are on Arteta and his squad as they navigate these challenges.
