Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted his side's thumping 4-1 defeat to Premier League title rivals Manchester City was a "good reality check".
The defeat and City's subsequent 2-1 win over Fulham on Sunday means Pep Guardiola's side have leapfrogged Arsenal and now sit one point above the Gunners with a game in hand. However, Arteta has not given up hope of winning the league and believes the loss to the defending champions will ultimately be a positive for Arsenal as they look to bounce back against Chelsea on Tuesday.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta said the defeat was an emphatic reminder as to why City have won four of the last five Premier League titles. "The disappointment was across the club - our supporters, our people, our staff, our players," Arteta said.
"It was a big night and we didn’t produce the performance that we wanted. We deserved to lose the game and we have to move on, but I think it was a good reality check as well in the way that they stepped up the level and we could not reach that level.
"The reality check is as well that you have to step up to that level for 10 months, so we have to believe in what we do because we are so good as well." Arteta also admitted it has been a bit of a struggle to lift the players' spirits after the loss.
"It is difficult but in sport you have to accept the reality, and when a team is able to take the game to a different level and you're not able to step up to that, you have to recognise that there is still work to do, not get confused, be very humble and recognise what our strengths are and what our weaknesses are to be better," he said.
"The reality is as well that for 247 days we have been with them, and tomorrow can be another where we are still there. There are five games to go so there are a lot of things that we have done well for 10 months.
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"Now it is not in our hands, but what is in our hands is to win our games. That's what we are going to try to do and the rest is down to City."
He added: "I am incredibly proud and thankful for everybody that has contributed to bringing the Champions League back to this football club with five or six games to go, something that hasn't happened in over a decade in this club.
"So congratulations and thank you so much to everyone that has contributed to that, and thank you for still being upset and not accepting that the Champions League is enough and we want more, because this squad is going to demand to get what we want."
