Arsenal's fate in the Premier League is almost no longer in its hands following a painful 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa on Sunday. However, coach Mikel Arteta said the team's reaction will be a critical factor in their title race. The loss marked their first in 12 league matches and evoked haunting memories of last season when Arsenal collapsed under Manchester City's relentless pressure.
Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins scored late goals to hand Aston Villa a victory over Arsenal, keeping Manchester City as strong contenders for their fourth consecutive league title. City, who crushed Luton Town 73-0 on Saturday, has 73 points from 32 matches, while Arsenal and Liverpool, who lost to Crystal Palace earlier, have 71 points.
When asked if Manchester City is now the frontrunner for the title, Arteta said, "This is the reality now. It has gone that way over the last few months. We knew this moment could come, and now it’s about the reaction, maintaining belief, and giving everything we can."
He added, "If one result can take us off our path, then we're not strong enough."
"It’s time now for every player to show their character and leadership abilities and prioritize the team’s interests. We had an excellent performance in the first half, we should have scored three or four goals. The situation changed in the second half."
Many fans left the Emirates Stadium after Aston Villa's second goal, as Arsenal's hopes of winning their first title in 20 years took a significant hit. However, the team still has six matches remaining, and midfielder Declan Rice asserted that not everything is lost yet.
Rice, who has not been at his best, told Sky Sports: "Sometimes you need a game like this to reset and refocus. I still believe there will be many ups and downs."
Arsenal cannot afford any new slip-ups, facing Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday after drawing 2-2 in the first leg. Following that, they will meet Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend, having a chance to reclaim the top spot despite having played one match more than Guardiola's City.
Arteta told reporters, "After losing any match, they feel frustrated and sad. We have a beautiful opportunity that we haven’t had for 14 years to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals."
