Mikel Arteta said we must show who we are after exiting the FA Cup quarter-final, as our attention turns to the Champions League and Premier League.
Goals from Ross Stewart and Shea Charles helped Southampton win 2-1 at St Mary’s Stadium, with Viktor Gyokeres finding the net for us.
We now look ahead to our Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting CP and the boss said we must show what we are made of for the remaining two months of the season.
He said: “We have the most important period in both competitions ahead of us, and it’s now the moment when you have a difficult moment in the season, to show what we are made of – and it is now we have to show who we are.
“Obviously, we’re very disappointed. We wanted to get back to Wembley as quickly as possible, and we haven’t managed to do that – so first of all, congratulations to Southampton for being there.
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“The game had moments, we had moments, where we had a lot of dominance from our side, and chances, and situations in and around the box that we didn’t capitalise on enough. And then we have to accept we were poor in and around our box defending situations that normally we are excellent at. We paid the price.”
Chances flowed at both ends in the cup encounter, with Charles clinching the contest in the 85th minute for the Saints.
Looking at the contest, as well as paying tribute to our supporters, Mikel said: “100 per cent (we have to do better in both boxes), and that’s what you have to do well. If you don’t, you put yourself in a really difficult position, against a good team on a good run.”
“We’re very sad because we want to give them joy and give them back what they showed again tonight – unfortunately, we couldn’t do that, we tried until the last seconds. But there are certain things you have to do in football if you want to win.”
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Every word from Arteta’s post-Southampton presser
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