Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted that he is "still so proud" of his players despite their deserved 1-0 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park.
The Gunners had the chance to move eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with victory on Merseyside, but Everton were a class above physically.
Taking charge of his first game for the Toffees, Sean Dyche witnessed his team hustle and pressure Arsenal from the get-go, and the Gunners could not get into their free-flowing rhythm.
Bukayo Saka nearly gave Arsenal the lead against the run of play in the first half, but his volley was cleared off the line by Conor Coady, before James Tarkowski's header on the hour mark settled the contest.
Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Arteta admitted that his side "lacked purpose" in the final third, but he cut a largely positive figure after Arsenal's second league defeat of the season.
© Reuters
"We had loads of the ball but we lacked that purpose and quality in the final third, we generated many chances. But then we conceded and they slowed the game down and we struggled," Arteta said.
"They do this to every team that is their strength with the height, the physicality is their strength, if you want to control the game against them you have to control this. We did not do that today.
"We needed more composure and to control emotionally the game better. We gave away so many unnecessary free-kicks and that's what they want."
With Everton doubling up on Saka and Gabriel Martinelli throughout the contest, Arsenal had many routes to goal blocked off as their Goodison Park hoodoo continued.
The Gunners have now lost in four of their last five visits to Everton's home ground and are winless in five since claiming a 5-2 victory during Arsene Wenger's final season in charge in 2017-18.
© Reuters
Arteta had previously overseen 2-1 defeats in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons at Goodison Park, making him the first-ever Arsenal manager to lose three successive away Premier League games against Everton.
The Spaniard warned his players not to expect a "rose pathway" to success while they remain in first place, though, adding: "Today I love them much better than the week before or a month ago.
"It is easy to be next to someone when they are winning well. I am still so proud of all of these players, they deserve it. This is not going to be a rose pathway. This is going to be tricky and we will have to dig in and play much better than we did today."
Arsenal will still end the weekend at the top of the table, but their lead over Manchester City will be reduced to two points if the champions beat Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The Gunners return to the Emirates Stadium next Saturday for a London derby against Brentford before hosting Man City in a top-of-the-table clash on February 15.
Ben Knapton
