Arsenal win 'lifts spirit and belief'

LONDON • Mikel Arteta believes his Arsenal side can still qualify for Europe this season, following a 2-0 Premier League win at Southampton on Thursday.

It was the first victory for the Gunners after two straight losses - 3-0 to Manchester City and 2-1 to Brighton - since the restart of the season following the coronavirus stoppage in mid-March.

"I am always very positive," said the Arsenal manager. "We have enough time, we have enough games left to do it.

"We had two defeats for the first time since I joined, but now we have won and it lifts the spirit and belief.

"The calendar the Premier League has given us is pretty tough. We have four away games and we have to recover the players now."

They lie ninth on 43 points, 11 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with seven games left.

With second-placed Manchester City's involvement in the Champions League still uncertain pending their appeal against a ban for breaching financial fair play rules, Arsenal could also finish fifth and qualify for Europe's top club competition.

That spot is currently held by Manchester United (49 points).

Arsenal kept alive their European hopes - which includes the second-tier Europa League - as Eddie Nketiah punished a first-half howler from Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

Joe Willock doubled Arsenal's lead late in the second half, after Southampton's Jack Stephens was sent off for bringing down Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Following the two straight losses, there was criticism of Arteta's decision to give new contracts to David Luiz and Cedric Soares despite their problems with poor form and injuries respectively.

Against the dispiriting backdrop, Arsenal's victory on Thursday was a welcome tonic for Arteta.

"It was an important win for us. We had two very difficult weeks," he said. "I was concerned because after the defeat at Brighton, where we threw the game away, it really touched the team.

"But I know what this team can do when we're at 100 per cent."

Arsenal had kicked off with 40 points, which ranked as their joint lowest tally after 30 games of a Premier League campaign.

Matteo Guendouzi was dropped after he reportedly taunted Brighton players about how much he earns during last Saturday's match and clashed with Seagulls striker Neal Maupay after the final whistle. But his absence at St Mary's was put down to "squad management" by Arteta.

"No (it wasn't punishment for Brighton)," he said. "Whatever issue we have internally, I will resolve it in a private way."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE