Under pressure Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was a relieved man on Saturday night after his young side delivered a brilliant performance against Chelsea.
Arteta put his trust in a number of youngsters including Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in the important Boxing Day clash and they contributed immensely to the 3-1 Premier League win at the Emirates Stadium.
Indeed, 19-year-old Saka, the England international with Nigerian blood, scored a spectacular third goal to seal the win after goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka.
“Yes, I think to was a really good mixture today of senior players, experienced players, and young talent that we have,” Arteta told the Arsenal website when asked about the impact of the young players.
“They have been showing us in the last few weeks that they are capable of starting the games and I had no doubt they would respond today and I think they were really, really good.”
The win was Arsenal’s first in the Premier League since they defeated Manchester United on 1 December and it eases pressure on Arteta as well as put on hold relegation talk.
The Spaniard said he anticipated the performance.
“Well, I think it’s down to everybody because the senior players as well contributed in a different way, some on the pitch and some outside,” he said.
“Right when we were coming in on the bus I could sense the energy and how much we wanted it, it doesn’t get any better than to be playing the in the Premier League on Boxing Day in a London derby.
“I said that today we had to take this opportunity now to put some of the performances in the past where we didn’t have the results into everything, we needed a big performance to win against this team and we need the three points, and I think the boys, right from the beginning, did really well.”
Arteta, who played for Arsenal between 2011 and 2016, admitted that his team was desperate for the win following their woeful form and urged his players to keep it up.
The 38-year-old noted: “It’s a really important week for us. As I mentioned before, some of the performances haven’t been enough tow in football matches and that is something difficult to handle over time.
“We needed the points, that is for sure, and today we have done it against one of the best teams in the league in a really convincing way. That shows that we are able to do it when we are at our best, can we do it every three days?
“That is the question mark to which we have to respond over the next week. But today we needed a lift, that confidence that we can come away from games with the points and the boys are delighted and I am really happy for them and of course for our fans, because there have been some difficult weeks.”
Arteta explained that defender Gabriel was left out as a precaution because he was in contact with somebody who had tested positive for COVID-19.
He also ruled out injured midfielder Thomas Partey from Arsenal’s next fixtures against Brighton and West Brom.
The result lifted Arsenal up to 14th in the table with 17 points from 15 matches, six points away from the relegation places. Chelsea dropped to seventh with 25 points from 15 matches.
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