Arteta admits Arsenal fell for first time since September

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Arteta admits Arsenal fell for first time since September

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta reacts to the end of the English Premier League football match between Everton and Arsenal atArsenal at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north-west England, on February 4, 2023. PHOTO AFP LIVERPOOL, England -- Perhaps it was the shock of a first Premier League defeat since September or the fact that Sean Dyche was in the opposing dugout but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appeared a little confused after his side's 1 -- 0 defeat against Everton on Saturday.

After the game Arteta slipped up when analysing the setback, speaking to talkSPORT.

Credit to Burnley, they played a really good game, and they lifted the crowd and they deserve to be congratulated, Arteta said.

Everton produced a performance that Dyche used to inspire from his players during his long spell at unfashionable Burnley, whom he kept in the top flight for six seasons and even qualified for Europe.

You have to do the basics, especially in defending. You need to do well to get the right to play, and in some moments we did it, and in others we didn't do it well enough to get more from the game.

It was a disappointing loss for Arsenal whose five-point lead at the top now looks vulnerable.

Manchester City can cut the gap to two points if they win against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and then visit Arsenal on Wednesday when the top spot could be on the line.

Arteta played down any talk of pressure being a factor in the defeat at Everton.

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I don't think that, we've played a lot of games this season already, Arteta said.

You have to do the basics, especially in defending. You need to do really well to get your control and the right to play, and for moments we did it, and in others we didn't do it well enough to get more from the game. Arteta said it was time to show them some love rather than pick faults in his team.

I want the team to know how much I love them. He said that I love them much more now than three hours ago, a week ago, a month ago, three months ago. It's easy to be next to the players when they are winning and performing.

This is the moment I love my players more, the staff more and now we stick together.