Mikel Arteta describes Arsenal’s defeat at Aston Villa as ‘painful’ and ‘hard to take’

Defeat means Manchester City could move within two points of Arsenal If they beat Sunderland this afternoon.

Trossard’s goal is not enough for Arsenal

Matty Cash put the hosts ahead but Leandro Trossard came off the bench in the first half to score the equalizer before having to come off again after apparently suffering a recurring muscle injury.

“It’s really hard to accept the way it happened in the end,” Arteta told TNT Sports.

“You’re always on the edge, especially when you don’t manage the ball well when you get it back, and we didn’t do that well in the first half. In the second half we started really well. We scored a goal and we were really in control. But then we had periods again where the same problem came up and then we didn’t have the dominance and allowed open spaces.

“We missed two opposition balls which could have cost us the game before we scored. On the last kick of the game, we had a chance from Declan’s cross. [Rice] For Noni [Madueke] And Victor [Gyokeres]. We don’t record. Long goal kick, second ball, ball sweep, individual action. The ball comes into the penalty area and you end up losing it. “It is painful.”

Villa goes to second place

Villa moved into second place, for a few hours at leastAfter achieving his seventh consecutive victory in all competitions.

Arteta added: “Credit to them for what they are doing. They are a really good team. We had moments to go forward and score the second goal. We were very, very close a few times and in the end after 18 games without defeat, which is a long period, you need to step up and go again.”

This is Arsenal’s first defeat in the league since their 1-0 defeat against Liverpool last August.

“Certain standards today, especially at an individual level, we have not reached that level,” the former Arsenal midfielder said. “The effort was absolutely there. Use that pain to get going again. That’s football.”