LONDON • Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was disappointed with his team’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Southampton on Wednesday, although he acknowledged it was a decent result after going down to 10 men on the hour.
The Gunners last won a league game at the Emirates on Oct 4 and having lost their last four at home, they nearly snatched a winner when Rob Holding hit the crossbar in stoppage time.
But their winless run has now stretched to six league games, leaving Arteta to rue Gabriel’s red card for a second bookable foul when he hauled down Theo Walcott, who opened the scoring against his former team.
The hosts appeared to be in the ascendancy after Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang equalised with just his third league goal of the season and his first from open play since September.
However, the seventh red card since Arteta’s appointment – four more than any team in the league – ruined any momentum, forcing the team to settle for the draw.
“Very disappointed because in that moment, I was thinking to change the centre-back straight away – we didn’t even have time to do that,” Arteta told the BBC.
“In the end, we got a point that considering the circumstances, we have to accept. The boys came out like we did three days ago, we scored a really good goal, on top in the game, and again, we shoot ourselves in the foot.”
Afterwards, Aubameyang admitted the mood at the club was not good, contributing to the team making rash and costly decisions.
“A bit disappointed, we could win this game, sometimes this happens,” he said. “We are a bit nervous, we need points. Sometimes, we do bad things but this happens when you need points, we have to stay cool with the head.”
The Saints had been gunning for their first league victory at Arsenal since 1987 and while they could not extend the Gunners’ losing run, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl felt his players have proven they no longer have an inferiority complex when playing against supposedly bigger teams.
“I am OK with a point,” he said. “Teams have respect for what we are doing and how we are playing. We have shown what we have learnt in the past and that is to play our game. We get more and more confident playing in possession.”
Walcott agreed, adding: “Arsenal are in a difficult time but in the end, it is disappointing to take a point and it shows how far this club has come, we know how good we are as a unit.”
Elsewhere, Leeds won a seven-goal thriller, beating Newcastle 5-2 for their first victory at Elland Road in three months.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS