Mikel Arteta praised his team’s first-half performance in a comfortable 2-0 victory over Burnley, describing it as “one of the best we’ve played” while extending their lead in the Premier League.
Goals from Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice in the first half led the Gunners to their ninth consecutive win across all competitions and fifth in the league.
Arsenal could have had a larger halftime lead if not for two crucial saves from Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka, who denied Bukayo Saka on two occasions.
Arteta remarked: “We started the game incredibly well. The first half was one of our best performances; we scored two goals and created two or three more significant chances while conceding nothing.”
“That served as a solid platform, but we lowered our standards in the second half, particularly with the ball and our intent to press forward. Defensively, however, we were exceptional.”
Burnley struggled to threaten the London side, with their first shot on goal coming from Florentino Luis’ header in the 73rd minute, followed by a free kick from substitute Marcus Edwards that struck the post deep into stoppage time.
Gyökeres, who scored the opening goal following a corner and helped increase Arteta’s team’s tally of league-leading set-piece goals (excluding penalties) to 12, received special praise from the manager.
However, the Swedish striker’s availability for Tuesday’s Champions League match in Prague is in doubt after he was substituted at halftime due to a muscle strain.
Arteta said: “I think this was one of his best performances for us. Overall, he was exceptional, besides the goal, and we had to take him off because he felt a slight muscular niggle.”
“His pressing, positioning, touches, and ability to link play were brilliant. It’s unfortunate he felt something.”
Burnley remains five points above the relegation zone after their fifth league loss of the season, and manager Scott Parker believed the first goal was critical.
Parker stated: “We knew we were facing a top-tier team with immense quality, and I thought we started the game well. However, the first goal took the wind out of our sails a bit since it was from a set piece, despite the fact we had worked hard on that this week.”
Parker noted how difficult it is to defend against Arsenal’s set pieces, praising Rice’s deliveries as “spot on” and highlighting players like Gabriel as major physical threats.
“Without those players, you probably wouldn’t see Arsenal scoring as many goals as they do,” Parker added. “You have a reliable delivery taker who can place the ball perfectly wherever needed, and the runs are always in sync. The timing and physicality of those runs are crucial.”