Arteta’s side must swiftly rediscover some confidence, with a trip to Sporting in the Champions League to come on Tuesday night to come before the Premier League title run-in resumes.
The Arsenal manager was keen to emphasise the physical toll his players continue to put themselves through as he vowed to “defend them more than ever”.
“I love my players,” Arteta said.”What they have done for nine months – I’m not going to criticise them because we lost a game here in the manner that they tried.
“And the way they are putting their bodies through everything. Some of them probably didn’t even have to be here today. I’m not going to do that at all. I’m going to defend them more than ever.
“Someone has to take responsibility. That’s me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us. And now is the moment.
“Someone has to take responsibility. That’s me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us. And now is the moment.
“In the season, you always have moments. Normally two or three. This is the first moment that we have with a certain level of difficulty.”So stand up, make yourself accountable and deliver like we’ve been doing all season.”
