Mikel Arteta has demanded his Arsenal become 'killers' again after West Ham smashed another hole in their title bid - and the Gunners blew a second two-goal lead in as many weeks.
Goals from Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard had sent them 2-0 up in just 10 incredible opening minutes. But Said Benrahma pulled one back and Jarrod Bowen equalised after Bukayo Saka had missed a penalty.
Arteta said: “We need that ruthless mindset in those moments to go and kill a team. When the game is there for the killing you have to do it. We dominated the game, dominated the pitch and scored two beautiful goals.
“After that we made a huge mistake to stop playing with the same purpose to score the third and fourth one. We were just thinking we could play around them and maintain the result and just looked too easy. At that moment we gave them hope. Credit to West Ham they took it.”
After last week’s draw at Liverpool, the London Stadium result would have been even worse had Michail Antonio not sent what would have been the winner against the crossbar.
It means Arsenal - who play Southampton at home on Friday - have now dropped four points in their last two games to hand the title advantage to Manchester City.
Arteta went on: “The pattern in terms of the result is different to the Liverpool draw. The last thing we want in our brains is to not have the confidence to kill the game when you can do it. That’s the next stage, when you are there, you have to do it. You have to play with the same purpose or more and not give them anything.”
Arteta also called on Saka to bounce back from the spot kick that would have extended Arsenal’s lead to 3-1 - or risked being replaced on penalties.
He said: “You have to put everything into context. If you are prepared to take responsibility of penalties, you have to be prepared that in that package the possibility to miss is 100%.
“At some point you’re going to miss. That’s it. You have be able to react to that after. If you cannot do that then you cannot be a penalty taker. Bukayo has been through that and he will go through that again.”
Arsenal have seven matches left to play, starting with Southampton at home on Friday. City, who have a game in hand, entertain Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on 26 April.
West Ham, meanwhile, host Gent on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final.
Boss David Moyes insisted the comeback had left his men in terrific heart. He said: “When you go 2-0 down to Arsenal you're not sure how to get back into it. It's great credit to the players they stuck at it.
"Our three midfield players did a great job in trying to nullify Arsenal as best they could. At times you don’t get it right but at times you do.
"Jarrod has played well in recent weeks and he is getting back to it, his goal was typical Jarrod, hoping to get a sniff and it came.
“It would have been a good result getting a point anyway but going 2-0 down and coming back shows great character. The games are coming thick and fast and the players are doing a really good job."
