Arsenal ‘lacked purpose’ in Everton defeat says Mikel Arteta – ‘This is not going to be a rose pathway’

Arsenal had the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points but succumbed to a narrow defeat at Goodison Park, with Everton boss Sean Dyche marking his first game in charge with a much-need victory.

The north London club struggled to create openings and at the opposite end they failed to deal with Dwight McNeil’s corner delivery as James Tarkowski headed in a second-half winner.

“We had loads of the ball but we lacked that purpose and quality in the final third, we generated many chances,” said Arteta.

“But then we conceded and they slowed the game down and we struggled.

“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.

“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.”

Meanwhile, speaking to BT Sport, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown accused Arteta’s side of not showing up.

“You’re anxious with a young group, you don’t want to go overboard. I feel they’ve been quite outstanding. It’s about how you now react to that disappointment.

“It’s such a young group. They are capable of bouncing back, but that was a lesson for them, but it’s how they respond and learn from that lesson.

“There were opportunities for Arsenal, but they didn’t have that cutting edge today in the final third. If you keep losing games then obviously it creates a doubt. So, quickly Arteta will want to get back on that winning trail again against Brentford next week.”

“I think it’s important, that point reaction,” continued Rio Ferdinand.

“How do you react? And I think, when we played, it was ‘you don’t lose two games on the spin’. You’ve got to find a way to get results anywhere by any means and you can’t always play perfect football.”

Manchester City travel to Tottenham on Sunday where a win would close the gap on the Gunners to just two points.