Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal side for showing “a lot of maturity” in their victory against rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal secured a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham in a fiercely-contested north London derby, with Gabriel Magalhaes’ second-half goal proving decisive.
Despite missing key players in captain Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice through injury and suspension, Arsenal weathered early pressure from Spurs and delivered an impressive defensive performance to hold out for all three points.
“After the international break, we had a few blows,” Arteta said to BBC Sport. “How the team reacted was magnificent. It showed a lot of maturity from the team.
“When they (Spurs) 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 really 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.”
Bukayo Saka, who provided the assist for Gabriel’s headed goal, was substituted in the 86th minute after limping off the field.
Speaking post-match, Arteta revealed that the England international “could not continue” and that the extent of the potential injury was still unclear. Regarding Odegaard’s injury, Arteta added that “we have to wait and see”.
The result sees Arsenal climb to second in the table on 10 points, two behind City, who have won all four of their opening matches.
Arsenal play in Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday before a trip to City on Sunday.
(Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
