Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his delight after witnessing his team overwhelm a formidable Aston Villa on Tuesday.
MORE — Match recap and video highlights
Aston Villa entered the match on an impressive 11-game winning streak across all competitions and posed a significant threat in the first half.
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However, Arsenal exploded in the second half, decisively outperforming their title competitors, with goals from Gabriel, Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus.
Here’s Arteta’s latest reaction to this commanding victory for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s Reaction
On the match and the victory: “It was a fantastic evening. We anticipated a challenging fixture against a top opponent. The first 10 minutes were a bit shaky, and we had to make some adjustments. Credit to Villa—they broke our press and had a couple of dangerous situations. After that, we gained more control of the game, even if we didn’t create many chances aside from Viktor [Gyokeres]’s two big opportunities. In the second half, the way we started was phenomenal. We ramped up our performance and were extremely efficient in our execution. We deserved to win the match,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
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On changes made at halftime and whether he gave the team a ‘stern talking-to’: “A stern talk is great, but it’s not enough. Against a team like this, you need to be very meticulous and understand the timing of every action. It’s about everyone working together to achieve that. We made the necessary adjustments at the right moments, and the players were exceptionally efficient in everything they did. Huge credit to them; it’s not easy against a team like this.”
On being ruthless during crucial moments in the second half: “That’s the key difference. We’ve created plenty of chances over the past few weeks and needed scrappy goals to secure victories. Today, the quality of our finishing and our composure in the final third were exceptional. That made all the difference.”
On Gabriel’s importance to the team: “Today was a brilliant example. He returned after six weeks out, which should have been closer to eight. He came back early and immediately faced one of the best strikers in the league, showing how challenging it is to mark him. His impact on the game was immense.”
On the exciting prospects of 2026, with the team at the top of the Premier League and Champions League: “2025 has been a great year on both personal and professional levels. The commitment and spirit of these players, along with the staff and the club, make me enjoy my role every day. We have clear ambitions for 2026, and achieving that will require hard work every day. I believe we are on the right track.”