Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has vowed to fight on despite overseeing the Gunners’ worst start in the league since 1981.
Arteta’s side suffered their sixth defeat in the Premier League this season with Sunday’s 2-0 north London derby loss at Tottenham.
The result leaves Arsenal in 15th place with just 13 points from 11 games.
“I have to support the players, keep fighting and keep going – there is not any other way,” said Arteta.
“But I saw a team. I saw my team full of desire, passion, dominating the game, creating all the chances, all the situations, but in the end it is about the end product and this is why they are first in the table.”
Lack of goals ‘not sustainable’
Arsenal have scored just 10 goals in the Premier League this season, a tally matched by Spurs forward Son Heung-min, who got his 10th of the season with the opener on Sunday.
The Gunners had plenty of possession but couldn’t convert that control into clear-cut chances and Harry Kane broke away to crash home Tottenham’s second.
Asked how he was going to turn around Arsenal’s season, the Spanish manager added: “By scoring goals.
“Very simple – we need to score goals. It is not sustainable.
“It doesn’t matter what we do in other departments if we don’t score, we need to put the ball into the net urgently. At the moment it looks like we need a lot to score a goal.”
“We’re going to keep going and I’m going to keep going.”
Mikel Arteta has vowed to fight on despite overseeing Arsenal’s worst start in the league for 45 years.
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Partey blow adds to Arsenal woes
Arsenal had been boosted before kick off by the return to fitness of midfielder Thomas Partey.
However, the Ghana player pulled up just before half time and as he went to the side of the pitch to ask to be taken off, Tottenham countered quickly to score their second.
“He is injured and in the same area, unfortunately we don’t know how bad it is,” Arteta said.
“It was too quick, it was a four-against-three situation. I haven’t spoken to him, I don’t know exactly how it happened or if he felt something extremely serious. I will look at it and talk with him.”
Mourinho praises ‘very good coach’ Arteta
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho backed Arteta to turn Arsenal’s fortunes around, admitting they made it difficult for his side, who went back to the top of the table as a result of the win.
“It was a big game in every sense, not just because it was Tottenham-Arsenal,” said Mourinho.
“I want to give words, congratulations to Mikel Arteta because he gave us a very difficult game.
“Tactically they were very good, very organised. They gave us problems, problems we were able to resolve.
“They have a good tactical courage and incredible spirit. They are a good team and he is a good coach.”
