Arsenal legend Ian Wright has given his thoughts on yesterday's 1-0 defeat to Everton in the Premier League.
The Gunners had the chance to go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League standings with a win at Goodison Park but they struggled to create many meaningful openings as the home crowd were clearly buoyed by the arrival of their new manager Sean Dyche. It took one of Dyche's former Burnley favourites to break the deadlock when defender James Tarkowski headed past Aaron Ramsdale from one of many threatening set-pieces from the Toffees.
However, Mikel Arteta's side were unable to beat Ramsdale's opposite number, Jordan Pickford, condemning them to just their second league loss of the campaign. "Everton deserved that", Arsenal icon Wright tweeted after the full-time whistle.
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"We have to learn from it and move on. Top of the league, everyone is going to be up for playing us.
"Half chances key in these types of games. Lots for the team to take away from that defeat.
"We go again, boys! Give Sean Dyche his flowers.”
It is still just five points that separate the Gunners from second-placed Manchester City after 20 league fixtures, although the Citizens have the chance to close that gap to just two when they travel to north London to take on Arsenal's local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
Still, Arteta remained upbeat in his post-match interview with the media, admitting that his side's recent form made it easy for him to avoid giving his players an angry dressing down after the defeat. "I want the team to know how much I love them", the Spaniard said when quizzed on his team's performance.
"I love them much more now than three hours ago, a week ago, a month ago, three months ago. It's very easy to be next to the players when they're winning and performing.
"These are the moments when I love my players more and my staff more and we're going to stay together. This journey is going to be difficult and challenging and there's going to be big stones in the middle and we have to overcome that.
"Now we have to prepare the week really well to get to Saturday with the right emotional spirit to beat Brentford."
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