Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, spoke candidly after leading his team to a resounding victory over Sunderland, extending their lead at the top of the English Premier League.
Mikel Arteta, the "Gunners" manager, expressed great satisfaction with his team's performance, especially Victor Yokeres, who came off the bench to score two goals, helping Arsenal secure a 3-0 home win against Sunderland in the English Premier League last Saturday night. This win puts them 9 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. Arteta joked about the lack of goals from set pieces.
Arteta said, "Of course, I am very happy with the win and the performance in many aspects, including keeping a clean sheet because they are a very strong opponent. They excel in what they do: breaking up plays, defending, overcoming pressing, and ball possession. It's very difficult to create dangerous chances and maintain momentum. But we knew that. I think the first goal unlocked those difficulties, and then the finishers came on and made an immediate impact. However, I really regret that we didn't score from any set pieces!"
Regarding Yokeres, he said, "I am very pleased; he deserved it. He is a very determined player who always wants to improve himself. When he saw the starting eleven (he was a substitute), I told him he would come on and make an impact."
"When you wear this shirt, it comes with a lot of responsibility and expectations, and you have to live with that. On your journey, there will be smooth times and difficult times. I admire his attitude—how he handles each day and the fact that he stays focused on the present, on what he needs to do, and that he is genuinely committed to helping the team regardless of his role."
Speaking about leading the table by 9 points, he said, "We still have many games to win to achieve our goals, so there is no interest in that matter. That is something else. We have done our job, done what we needed to do. So I will evaluate the performance, try to improve, and prepare for the next game against Brentford."