Mikel Arteta says 'outstanding' Arsenal 'so excited' to compete for Premier League title after Chelsea thrashing

Mikel Arteta cut a delighted figure after watching his side put five past old rivals Chelsea, as Arsenal went three points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

It was an impressive performance from the Gunners, with their second-half showing utterly dominant as they carved their way through Chelsea’s defence time and time again.

It was the perfect response to last week’s disappointing UEFA Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, with Arsenal needing to build some momentum following defeat to Villa the week before.

The win at Wolves stopped the rot, but this emphatic victory sent a warning message to their title rivals.

Arteta was full of praise for his team afterwards - especially for how they started the second half, having gone into half-time with a narrow advantage.

“Very happy with the win, with the amount of chances and goals we scored and the clean sheet - it shows again the consistency of the team," he told TNT Sports.

"We weren’t disciplined enough especially with a few things we did with the ball, defending the box. We had to be more disciplined in the second half, we created more chances as well.

When asked what his role is in guiding his team through the next handful of crucial matches, Arteta was clear on what he did - and didn’t - need to do.

“Well what I would like is that they can manage themselves in the dressing room, they know what we are playing for, they are so excited for it and they are so at it," he continued.

“All of them, the players that haven’t played more, they have a very important role and they have been outstanding and that’s what holds the team together. My role is to keep demanding them, challenging them and in the moment making them believe they can do it because I think that’s a very important thing as well.”

Arteta wasn’t the only one impressed with Arsenal’s performance, with Leandro Trossard calling it “a perfect night” for the Gunners.

Arsenal head to Tottenham on Sunday, with the games coming thick and fast now in the run in. Whether they maintain their advantage at the top of the table remains to be seen, with Liverpool playing Everton on Wednesday and Manchester City taking on Brighton on Thursday.

But for Arteta, all he can concentrate on is his own team - and he was clear in what he would do next.

“Congratulate them for their performance, for making our supporters happy. It’s a big London derby and it was a joy to watch them play, rest and enjoy today and [then] onto Spurs now.”

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