Mikel Arteta was thrilled with Arsenal's third consecutive victory, which propelled them back to second place in the Premier League. However, his fellow Basque, Julen Lopetegui, was left frustrated by what he perceived as unfair tactics employed by the Gunners during West Ham's 5-2 derby loss. The damage was largely inflicted in the first half, which saw a record-equalling seven goals scored in the Premier League. Lopetegui, whose future at West Ham is now uncertain following such a heavy defeat, believed at least two of Arsenal's goals should have been disallowed. "I think we deserved two goals in the first half, but they didn't deserve five," he stated.

The corner routine that led to Arsenal's 10th-minute opener, scored by Gabriel, particularly irked Lopetegui. "There is one player who intentionally bumped into the back of [Lucas] Paquetá to prevent him from jumping," he explained. The Brazilian, positioned at the front post, was obstructed by Jurriën Timber. "The rules need to be applied equally to everyone," Lopetegui insisted. He also mentioned that his team had prepared for the routine devised by Arsenal's set-piece specialist, Nicolas Jover. "The first goal was a clear foul in my opinion. We were unlucky with the decisions today. As coaches, we need to understand the limits."

Arsenal's fifth goal, which came from a penalty scored by Bukayo Saka after Lukasz Fabianski had inadvertently struck Gabriel in the face, effectively ended West Ham's comeback attempt. "I think that killed the match," Lopetegui lamented. "You compare the contact in the first goal with Paquetá... But we can't use this as an excuse; we need to do better."

In stark contrast, Arteta was celebrating. "It was a spectacular 30 minutes, showcasing the team's desire, determination, and quality in scoring three great goals," he said. He also praised Bukayo Saka's contribution: "He has been consistently scoring, assisting, and always being available for us, which is really good." This victory capped a successful week for Arsenal. "Winning three consecutive games against three opponents is a great achievement," Arteta noted, before looking forward to the upcoming showdown between title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City. "We had to do our job and we did it convincingly today. We'll enjoy tonight and watch a fantastic game of football tomorrow."

Source link:   https://www.theguardian.com