Arteta praises Arsenal after derby win over Tottenham

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was full of praise for his charges after they overcame the loss of two key players to claim a third consecutive league win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners, who were without the suspended Declan Rice and the injured Martin Odegaard, as well as missing Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko, both with calf problems, edged Spurs 1-0 thanks to thanks to Gabriel Magalhaes’ second-half header.

“After the international break, we had a few blows,” said Arteta.

“How the team reacted was magnificent. It showed a lot of maturity from the team.

“The resilience we showed. We knew it was going to be a tough match, a great atmosphere but we knew we had a big threat on set-plays.”

Arteta expressed his frustration with how Arsenal played as their possession dropped to 36.3 percent but saved his praise for his defence.

“We weren’t the best on the ball today but the way we defended was top-drawer,” he said. “When they get into the final third, it’s very difficult because they have a structure. We were missing vital players and we had to react to that. I’m very pleased.

“We had to adjust and use different players and qualities. I was hoping they would do something with the ball and we did it. Sometimes better than others. They are a really good side.

“When we have to defend in deeper areas, we did it well. There are things to improve but we have another victory here and it’s huge. I know how our supporters will feel about this so enjoy it.”