“Newcastle were much better than us” – Arteta Admits After Loss

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted his side didn’t play like they deserved Champions League football after enduring a 2-0 loss to Newcastle.

A Ben White own goal and a goal from Bruno Guimaraes condemned the Gunners to their 13th defeat of the season and takes the possibility of a top four qualification out of their hands.

Newcastle dominated the game, having more possession and created more chances than an under par Arsenal who never really quite showed up.

The Gunners struggled to get a firm grasp of the game and were made to pay for their lackadaisical attitude in the second half when the home side turned up the heat.

Speaking after the match, Arteta admitted Newcastle deserved to win as his side were nowhere near good enough.

“Newcastle deserved to win the match and were much better than us,” he told Sky Sports. “We had nothing in the game. They were much better in every department and we were poor with the ball.

“A lot of things happened during the game, like substitutions for injuries, but it’s not an excuse because they were much better than us.

Recommended Articles:

• 2022 Ligue 1 Awards: Arsenal Loanee Amongst Winners
• Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Set To Land Sao Paulo Star
• “Stop Complaining!” – Conte Slams Arteta, Shades Klopp After Derby Win
• Arteta Begs For “Top Players” After Signing Contract Extension

“It’s true that we could not cope with the game that we had to play here. We tried to change some things but it didn’t make it better. We had moments where we looked better but then the execution was so poor and the goals we gave away were extremely poor.

“It’s extremely disappointing that Newcastle were 10 times better than us and the performane was nowhere near the level we need to be at if we want to play in the Champions League.

“I am incredibly disappointed. It’s a very painful one. It was in our hands and [now] it’s not in our hands. We have to beat Everton and wait for Norwich to beat Spurs. There’s always a tiny chance in football.”

With the loss, Arsenal remain in fifth spot and two points behind Spurs. It means they will have to pray their North London neighbours lose to Norwich in their final game of the season while they win against Everton in order to qualify for a Champions League spot.

Enjoyed the article? Share with others as well. Stay in the know, follow us on Twitter @punditgist.