Mikel Arteta: Arsenal players and fans were suffering - win over Chelsea can be a turning point
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Published 26/12/2020 at 20:05 GMT
After overseeing Arsenal's worst league start in three decades, manager Mikel Arteta was relieved to see his side beat Chelsea 3-1 in their Premier League game on Sunday evening. The win does little for Arsenal's league position but Arteta hoped that a victory could be a turning point in the season.
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal and Pablo Mari of Arsenal celebrate following their team's victory in the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea
Image credit: Getty Images
Mikel Arteta hoped that his Arsenal side’s 3-1 win over Chelsea would be enough to arrest their dreadful form.
Arsenal had just 14 points from 14 games going into the London derby on Sunday evening but a surprise three points was earned despite missing a host of big names.
Speaking after the game, Arteta told Sky Sports: "It's a really big win for us. We were really disappointed with the results - not so much the performances. Our players were suffering, our fans were suffering.
"It doesn't get any better than winning a London derby against Chelsea on Boxing Day. Hopefully this is a turning point. I know they can play at this level. We know how good Chelsea are but big moments in the game we were the better team.
"The injuries, the Covid, playing 10 men...you start to think what do we need to win a match.
"It's nice to give something back to fans because I can imagine they have been really disappointed. We started well and we were dominant. That gives the team confidence.
"Let's carry on. We still have big things to improve on."
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Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney spoke to Sky Sports after the game and was relieved with the win: "We needed that result. We've had a few bad performances but we started better than we have lately and didn't wait until we were 1-0 down to start playing.
"All the youngsters here are hungry to play. We have to keep going. At half-time the message was to keep going. Bernd Leno dug us out of a hole at the end. It would have been a long five minutes had that gone in."
Bukayo Saka claimed that his goal from wide was deliberate, saying: "I saw [Edouard Mendy] off his line so I thought I could chip him.
"We feel that we are a good team who have been unlucky with results and red cards but this is a big one for our confidence. It's been tricky, tough, but we have come out of it and we are trying our best.
"We grew up with each other, the young players all want to play and have the passion for this club. We want to make the fans happy."
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