Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta explains what he liked about the dressing room after Brighton win
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he likes that his players are already discussing how they could improve in the immediate aftermath of their win over Brighton. The Gunners beat the Seagulls 4-2 at the American Express Community Stadium to take a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
"My excitement comes from walking into the dressing room when the players are talking about what they should have done better today," Arteta told reporters after the game.
Arsenal took just two minutes to take the lead on the south coast as Bukayo Saka kept his composure to strike the ball from close range. In-form Martin Odegaard then doubled his side's advantage before the break with a shot from the edge of the box after the hosts failed to treat a corner.
Eddie Nketiah nearly killed the game early in the second half as he grabbed a rebound after Gabriel Martinelli was disallowed. But Brighton hit back through Kaoru Mitoma after 65 minutes. Martinelli restored his team's three-goal advantage, before Evan Ferguson put his name on the Seagulls' scoresheet late.
"Really tricky opponents," Arteta told the BBC. "Tonight we needed to have a great performance to win against a very good Brighton side and I think we did that. We had to dig in too. They dominate a lot of play. They do a lot of things but we we did a lot of things today to earn the right to win.
"Martin Odegaard has had great moments. He produces at the right time. A lot of things to improve, especially in moments of defense. We still have room to improve.
"We knew the result [of the Manchester City game] but the boost is that we have to come here and win and to do that we have to perform at the highest level in the league. It doesn't mean anything because that our only goal is once again to improve.”
Arsenal have been in sensational form this season and have climbed to the top of the Premier League table with 14 wins from 16 appearances. Their result on the south coast means they are now seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at the Etihad Stadium earlier today. But the Gunners have a tough streak ahead of them as they face Newcastle, Tottenham and Manchester United in their next three games.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he likes that his players are already discussing how they could improve in the immediate aftermath of their win over Brighton. The Gunners beat the Seagulls 4-2 at the American Express Community Stadium to take a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
"My excitement comes from walking into the dressing room when the players are talking about what they should have done better today," Arteta told reporters after the game.
Arsenal took just two minutes to take the lead on the south coast as Bukayo Saka kept his composure to strike the ball from close range. In-form Martin Odegaard then doubled his side's advantage before the break with a shot from the edge of the box after the hosts failed to treat a corner.
Eddie Nketiah nearly killed the game early in the second half as he grabbed a rebound after Gabriel Martinelli was disallowed. But Brighton hit back through Kaoru Mitoma after 65 minutes. Martinelli restored his team's three-goal advantage, before Evan Ferguson put his name on the Seagulls' scoresheet late.
"Really tricky opponents," Arteta told the BBC. "Tonight we needed to have a great performance to win against a very good Brighton side and I think we did that. We had to dig in too. They dominate a lot of play. They do a lot of things but we we did a lot of things today to earn the right to win.
"Martin Odegaard has had great moments. He produces at the right time. A lot of things to improve, especially in moments of defense. We still have room to improve.
"We knew the result [of the Manchester City game] but the boost is that we have to come here and win and to do that we have to perform at the highest level in the league. It doesn't mean anything because that our only goal is once again to improve.”
Arsenal have been in sensational form this season and have climbed to the top of the Premier League table with 14 wins from 16 appearances. Their result on the south coast means they are now seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at the Etihad Stadium earlier today. But the Gunners have a tough streak ahead of them as they face Newcastle, Tottenham and Manchester United in their next three games.
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