Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal confirmed they’re turning into “more mature” in a “big win” at Brighton and Hove Albion that put them seven factors clear at the highest of the Premier League.
Draws for Manchester City and Newcastle United in opposition to Everton and Leeds United respectively earlier on New Year’s Eve gave the Gunners an opportunity to extend their lead at the summit.
They grabbed it with each arms at the Amex Stadium, Bukayo Saka setting them on their method with a purpose after solely 66 seconds.
Inspirational captain Martin Odegaard doubled Arsenal’s lead and Eddie Nketiah added a 3rd purpose, with Gabriel Martinelli getting in on the act both aspect of strikes from Seagulls duo Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson.
Mitoma seemed to have arrange a tense finale when he discovered the again of the web for a second time, however a VAR verify confirmed he had strayed offside.
Arsenal are sitting fairly after 5 consecutive top-flight wins and Arteta thinks they’re rising with each victory.
The Gunners head coach stated: “The team is getting more mature and that was a big test today.”
5 – Arsenal are simply the fifth aspect in English top-flight historical past to choose up as many as 43 factors from the primary 16 video games in a season (3 pts for a win) after Tottenham (1960-61), Chelsea (2005-06), Man City (2017-18) and Liverpool (2019-20). Pacesetters. pic.twitter.com/y1GYJRQ7IJ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 31, 2022
Arteta added: “It’s an enormous win, I’m actually joyful. It’s a very powerful place to come back. They are a very good aspect, they’re extraordinarily nicely coached they usually made it powerful for us. We made it powerful for them as nicely.
“I feel we have been glorious, particularly in attacking phases after we had the house, and the best way they defend they makes it very open and we made essentially the most out of it.
“We had moments that we discussed before where we were going to suffer and defend deeper. There were moments where we should have done better and we put ourselves in trouble, but that’s the learning part and every game is a huge test.”
The Spaniard is aware of there’s loads of work to do in the London membership’s quest to be topped champions for the primary time since 2004 as they flip their consideration to face third-placed Newcastle at house on Tuesday.
Arteta stated: “It’s nonetheless a long term to go. My pleasure comes from going into the dressing room when the gamers are speaking about what they need to have accomplished higher at the moment.
“That means that they know that we can still play better and be better, and against Newcastle we have to be better.”
Discussion about this post