After seeing us overturn what looked like another loss at Newcastle United into three points, Mikel Arteta headed to his post-match press conference in a good mood.
He was asked about his emotions after an exhilarating game, key decisions in it, cutting the gap at the top and much more.
Here is everything he had to say:
on getting the result late on:
Unbelievable feeling. That’s what football is about and a team. When you get what you deserve right at the end, it’s not a better feeling than that
on his heart rate before the winning goal was given:
I’d seen the action very clear and fast, so I thought [the referee] wasn’t going to intervene but I don’t know because obviously we had the example of what happens in the first half with a penalty. Regardless of that, I’m so proud of the team, the way we played, the way we competed, the way we understood the game, how we reacted to very difficult situations and decisions and still found a way to win the game with the players coming from the bench, exceptional.
on his reaction throughout an up and down game:
Well understanding that that’s the game that we have to play. There are a few things that might be unpredictable with the line-up or the formation or whatever. There are certain things that are so predictable, what you have to do here to win a football match. We certainly did that from the start to the end and on top of that, we added today so much quality from various ways to generate the amount of chances that we did. At the end we found a way to win it when I think we fully deserve to win the game.
on how good last-minute winners feel mentally:
We discussed to go to the next level, first of all you have to learn from the past and certainly we take some lessons and very different and sore moments in this ground. Today was an opportunity that the game brings you again in a really important week in the Premier League after all the tough places that we’ve already been very early in the season to show who we are, who do we want to be, our ambition and the way that we want to play. I think the team has done that today in a remarkable way.
on the Gyokeres penalty decision:
I watched it live and then I watched it on the screen and for me it was a penalty. We were instructed very clearly again this season that unless it’s a clear and obvious error the VAR is not going to intervene. It’s not, so that’s my opinion. Thank God we found a way to win the game. The team is still emotionally very calm and very composed and that’s a lesson that we took as well probably from a few years ago.
Highlights: Newcastle United 1-2 Arsenal
on closing the gap on the league leaders:
I believe the conviction of the team that we are and that we can play various types of games and the team still can deliver and win it in a convincing way. For me today it’s one of the most difficult grounds. Again, praise to Newcastle, the way they play, compete, how difficult it is to play in this place but the team really took the game to a different level and I’m very proud to see that.
on substitutes making the difference:
We certainly did that and I would have to make a few adjustments and substitutions as well for different reasons. The ones that are coming in, they really come in fully focused. My duty is to win the game for the team and all of them did it in an incredible manner. Martinelli comes in and it shows from the beginning, his threat. Saliba comes in, 45 minutes and I think it was outstanding. Again, Martin comes in after a long period and delivers two goals that are goals. Mikel Merino comes in which is a massive threat in the box and delivers a winning moment, so credit to all of them.
on whether there was more pressure on us today given other results:
There are moments in the season and obviously with the start that we had already and the difficult fixtures that we had, today we had the opportunity to close that gap and do it in a stadium that has a very recent and difficult past for us. I think it shows how much the team wants it.
on potentially silencing any critics:
I don’t know, I think the way we played against Manchester City and Newcastle, two of the teams were outstanding, that’s my view on it, very clear.