Mikel Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal must accept responsibility for their disappointing 2-2 draw against Aston Villa, attributing the setback to careless defending that hindered their pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Brentford earlier on Saturday, Arsenal faced immense pressure to secure a win against Villa at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta’s team appeared poised to close the gap to four points behind Liverpool after Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz found the net, establishing a two-goal advantage by the 55th minute.
However, Arsenal faltered in the latter part of the second half, as Youri Tielemans narrowed the scoreline before Ollie Watkins, a lifelong Arsenal supporter, equalized just eight minutes later.
This result dealt a significant blow to Arsenal’s aspirations of clinching their first title since 2004, with Liverpool now six points ahead and possessing a game in hand over the second-placed team from north London.
Arteta admitted that the defensive errors that allowed Villa to equalize were unacceptable.
“I take pride in the way the players performed and competed, especially considering it was the third match in six days. They delivered an outstanding performance and deserved more,” he stated.
“However, the manner in which we defended, particularly on the second goal, is not acceptable.”
“Conceding two goals cannot be part of our approach if we aim to win consistently. It falls far short of the standards we expect,” Arteta emphasized.
Arsenal has managed to secure only one victory in their last five matches across all competitions, a troubling run that includes an FA Cup exit against a 10-man Manchester United and a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final against Newcastle.
Although Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over north London rivals Tottenham seemed to rejuvenate Arsenal, their inconsistency this season resurfaced at a critical juncture.
